With Martin Luther King Jr. Day approaching, it is important to celebrate his life and legacy. King used nonviolent protest to achieve equal rights for Black people, and through that, won awards such as the Nobel Peace Prize. His leadership also opened the door for better opportunities for education and employment for Black people.
Throughout King’s life, he formed some of the most iconic speeches and quotes of the 20th century that touched on the problems going on in the world at that time, and some of those same problems are still occurring to this day.
Today we look at a simple, yet powerful quote from King that is still relevant to this day.
“Our lives begin to the end the day we become silent about the things that matter.”
If we know anything about King during the time of segregation and discrimination, he was not silent about the issues that plagued Black Americans. Whether it was protesting, marching, or delivering a powerful speech, King always found a way to fight for equality.
This quote might not have as much meaning as it did in the 1950s and 1960s, but it still holds some weight in today’s age. If we see something isn’t right or we’re being treated wrong, it’s best that we say something instead of laying low. If nothing is said, the same problems that continue to plague us will go on forever.
This is something that King realized, and with him taking action, he changed the lives of many African Americans and others while he was alive.
