January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968
Today is Martin Luther King Day 2023, and this annual holiday honors a visionary who dreamed big. He's best known for his advancements of Civil Rights through non-violence and civil disobedience, and for his inspiring speech: "I have a dream..." in Washington D.C.
In 1964, MLK was recognized for his outstanding leadership with a Nobel Peace Prize, and at the ceremony in gay-friendly Oslo, Norway, Dr. King stated: "this Nobel Prize was won by a movement of great people, whose discipline, wise restraint, and majestic courage has led them down a nonviolent course in seeking to establish a reign of justice and a rule of love across this nation of ours." At that time, at thirty-five years of age, he was the youngest to ever receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Along with the prize, he was awarded $54,123, and upon learning this, he declared that the money would be donated to the furtherance of the civil rights movement.
Sadly, just four years later on April 4, 1968, Dr. King was shot and killed. His assassination was felt around the world, and we honor his legacy today and always. His inspiring words of dreaming big continue to travel far and wide.
Share your dreams in the "Join the Conversation" section below. And always DREAM BIG!
Cover Photo Credit: Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. [Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mathew Ahmann in a crowd.], 8/28/1963" Original black and white negative by Rowland Scherman. Taken August 28th, 1963, Washington D.C, United States (The National Archives and Records Administration). Colorized by Jordan J. Lloyd. U.S. Information Agency. Press and Publications Service. ca. 1953-ca. 1978.
