King Still King?

Although Martin Luther King Junior is still a holiday [as it rightfully should be], is it truly a day off for him? Sadly, I think the answer is no. I mean, I'm not going to complain. I love a day off to do absolutely nothing and to make up all the homework I didn't do because it was a three day weekend. And yes, it is a day dedicated on paper to him. I guess it all depends on what you do that day to actually make it dedicated to him. One could do a National Service Day.

In grade school, we always read these nice picture books that explained what Dr. King did for America and civil rights, but in a way that was appropriate for young children. As we got older, we learned what he truly did and how it impacted the world, but also the events that lead up to it, with no filter. However, now in school, it merely gets mentioned, maybe with a brief praise of King but not usually.

The short answer of what I'm trying to say here is that yes, King is still a King, but less so than he was in the 60s, or after he was assassinated. Most legacies fade over time, and even though Dr. King is not most people, it happened. Also, it depends on the time period. It took awhile for America to become desegregated even after laws were passed and Dr. King died for his cause. Racism is still prevalent today, but I would say that the US is less racist than it has ever been. It is, of course, still really important to remember what MLK did for the US. He literally broke down barriers no one had even dared to approach in the past. He got things done. And he did so without violence and brutality, a peaceful fighter. I wish we still made a bigger deal out of this day being a day specifically for him.