This past Monday, the city of Montevallo hosted their 19th annual MLK March, marching from Mcdonalds to Montevallo High School. I know a lot of you are thinking what does marching have to do with MLK and why ? 

Martin Luther King.Jr was a civil rights activist who fought with peace for equal treatment to races in the 1960s. He had led bus boycotts, walk-outs, and even sit-ins. During the 60’s there was less freedom and more segregation. For example, different schools, water fountains, and even sitting in restaurants and buses. Just completely separated and unfair, to the point where African-Americans could get arrested for even using the other races restrooms, water fountains, or even having an altercation.  

 Now that you have a better understanding of what the 60’s was like, we’re going to move in depth to how this was created as a federal holiday. Before King died he delivered his most famous speech I Have A Dream, soon after he was assassinated in his hotel. Four days after his assassination representative John Conyers introduced a motion to make King’s birthday a federal holiday. It took eleven years just for the house of representatives to approve. Finally, President Regan signed a bill in the November of 1938, however, the first celebration was celebrated in 1986. 

Now in order to honor Martin Luther King’s legacy for advocating nonviolence we celebrate by marching, parades, and even speeches. This is a day reflecting on our past history to see what America is becoming today, and how our new generations are adapting to others.  Afterall, everything he fought for he fought without violence, so celebrating brings each of us closer to one another just like he wanted.