Monday, January 16, 2023, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States. Here is why we celebrate this day—plus, information about this influential American, civil rights leader, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. He was a Baptist minister and leader of the civil rights movement, championing justice and equality from the mid-1950s until his death by assassination in 1968. As he said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Dr. King was also a strong advocate of change through nonviolent civil actions based on his Christian values. He was a great speaker, and his powerful words still resonate with us today.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
–Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–68)