MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
#PeacefulProtest #CivilRightsHistory #CivilDisobedience
Martin Luther King, Jr was born January 15, 1929. Growing up in a time of segregation and deep racism, King was an activist, humanitarian, and a pastor, becoming one of the most influential people in American history. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, King led many nonviolent acts of protest and marches. King was a skilled orator, with his “I have a dream” speech being among his most quoted. “I have a dream, that my four little children will one day life in a world where they are not judged by the color of their skin, but by the context of their character.” King was assassinated on April 4th, 1968 in Memphis, TN, where he had spent the day with garbage truck workers who were striking for better wages and safer working conditions.
Content compiled by Kat Kenney
IMPACT
Martin Luther King’s portrait stands among many black history and civil rights leaders represented in Burton Street Community Peace Gardens. The famous portrait of King, looking calmly to the camera in black and white, symbolizes King's deep commitment to nonviolence. King used nonviolent marches and social protests to advocate for equality. The Peace Garden was built on the values to bring peace and love throughout the community. King’s message and values for peace are felt all throughout the garden from the moment you step in. “We created this place to create something that is good for the town. Something peaceful and good to help the people who live here.” (Dawayne Barton Founder of the Gardens)
"We could carry forward his legacy by decreasing police brutality and violence against the police. It works both ways; police have been targeted, which makes them feel obligated to target others before they get them." Read more of L.J. Thorpe's response to MLK, Jr's mural.
CALL TO ACTION
The Burton Street Peace Garden along with Hood Huggers International is an organization that seeks to help create a better place for everyone. Starting from trying to help make the area better, it has grown into something much more than that, with their very symbolic messages and art pieces. Contact us and see how you can help make a difference today.