24 Years of Celebrating The Man That Changed The World

By Eboni Lacey

In 1955, a special bus boycott was held for 382 days. This bus boycott was known as the first African American non-violent demonstration. After this event, the Supreme Court ruled the laws of segregated buses as unconstitutional. This event was led by none other than Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a non-violent activist who led successful marches, protests and boycotts that ultimately eliminated segregation and changed our world forever. He was born Jan. 15, 1929. Now, 81 years after the birth of such a powerful leader, we continue to celebrate his birthday on the Monday closest to Jan. 15. This celebration is known as Martin Luther King Day.

As 81 years of celebration have passed us, it’s important to remember how significant Martin Luther King, Jr., was to our society. Without Martin Luther King’s emphasis on equality among all races in our schools, public transportation and working places could still be segregated. As college students, we have the opportunity to embrace equality, diversity and change among our campus and communities just as Martin Luther King embraced these things over 50 years ago. How has Dr. Martin Luther King influenced Missouri Western and what does Missouri Western plan to do to address Dr. Martin Luther King day?
Junior and President of the National Advancement Association of Colored People (NAACP) Michelle Allen feels that the best way that students can embrace Martin Luther King Day is to get involved in a campus activity. This year, the Black Student Union along with the help of the NAACP will host a week’s events acknowledging Dr. Martin Luther King and the positive changes he made toward society.

“I think all students should take the time to reminisce on where they came from and where they are now,” Allen said. “Most people take [Martin Luther King] day and sit around and do nothing. We should do something instead of just sit around. Our week of events helps students honor Martin Luther King.

As Martin Luther King was a member of the executive board for the NAACP, which was the leader of all the NAACP organizations, joining the campus NAACP in certain events could be a way for students to connect with the day on a more personal level. These events include a memorial march on Sunday, Jan. 17, a community service day on Monday, Jan. 18, a discussion event on Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech on Tuesday, Jan. 19, a movie showing of “Glory” on Wednesday, Jan. 20, and a campus banquet entitled the Freedom Fund Banquet.

Sophomore Gregg Harris, who will be reciting a poem at the banquet, describes how these events can help people respect and acknowledge who Dr. Martin Luther King was. He wants his poem to be a gateway of knowledge for students to learn new things and gain a new perspective.

“Martin Luther King plays a big part in history in general,” Harris said. “He put a big mark in American History when it comes to unity. I think [my poem] will help students gain knowledge.”

When remembering some aspects of Martin Luther King, both Allen and Harris agree that his consistency and determination were characteristics that they admired most. For many years, King fought for equal opportunity among all races. He led a massive protest in Birmingham, Alabama, which ultimately led to African Americans being able to vote. He also directed a peaceful march in Washington, D.C., where he delivered the famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Though this speech was delivered nearly 50 years ago, many of his words are still alive today.

“Dr. Martin Luther King was prestigious and consistent,” Allen said. “He didn’t let the naysayers stop him. He was motivated for change. His persistency and consistency are what I admire most.”

“His determination to keep stuff pushing is what I admire the most,” Harris said.

Freshman Karin Schmit feels that all races have something to gain from Martin Luther King Day. She is also very interested in the Freedom Fund Banquet and feels that an event like this could wake the campus up.

“I think [Martin Luther King] was a strong man to take a stand without using violence,” Schmit said. “The world is becoming more chaotic. People should try to accomplish what he accomplished in a non-violent way. This is why they should attend events like this.”