Honoring the fight for civil rights Published Jan. 14, 2015 By Airman 1st Class Zade C. Vadnais 18th Wing Public Affairs KADENA AIR BASE -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is observed annually on the third Monday in January and marks the birthday of one of the most influential civil right activists in American history. For many, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. represents the positive changes that took place during the American civil rights movement. For some, he represents the power that organization, peaceful protest and eloquence can hold over even the most oppressive and deeply-ingrained systematic injustices. For all Airmen he should represent a core value, the definition of which is often difficult to articulate. Dedicating his life to civil rights issues, King was a beacon of integrity during a time of great frustration and injustice, fighting for the equality of black Americans with his inherent oratory skills and an emphasis on non-violent activism. A pastor, humanitarian and activist, King was a primary contributor in paving the way for racial equality in the United States. Born Jan. 15, 1929, in Atlanta, King was raised by Reverend and Mrs. Michael King in the segregated South. As a child, he excelled in the public schools he attended in Georgia, earning a reputation for his public speaking ability. King graduated high school at the age of 15, having skipped the ninth and twelfth grades, and went on to attend Morehouse College in Atlanta. After graduating from Morehouse in 1948 and enrolling in Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pa., King married Coretta Scott in June 1953 and became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala. His religious philosophy was based primarily on the biblical teachings "love thy neighbor" and "turn the other cheek," which would eventually shape his approach to activism as well. On Dec. 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Ala., Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat near the front of a public bus to a white passenger. In response, King led the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a non-violent protest in which black citizens in Montgomery refused to utilize the public bus system until black passengers were treated as equal to white passengers. The successful boycott lasted for 385 days and culminated in a United States District Court ruling that put an end to racial segregation on all public buses in the town of Montgomery. King's role in the bus boycott earned him national recognition as a spokesman for the civil rights movement. Representing the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a civil rights organization with which King was highly involved, he was among the "big six" that organized the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The march, which took place Aug. 28, 1963, demanded an end to racial segregation in public schools, meaningful civil rights legislation and protection of civil rights workers against police brutality among resolutions to other issues. During the march, King delivered his now infamous "I Have a Dream" speech, which came to be known as one of the best speeches in the history of American rhetoric. The nationally broadcast speech shone a spotlight on civil rights issues and lit a fire under lawmakers and reformers in the United States. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted July 2, 1964, due in large part to support for civil rights garnered by King's speeches and non-violent activism. The act outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin and ended racial segregation in public accommodations such as schools. On Oct. 14, 1964, King became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership of non-violent protests against racial prejudice in the U.S. During a trip to Memphis, Tenn. in support of black sanitation workers, King was shot by James Earl Ray on the balcony outside his room at the Lorraine Motel. King was pronounced dead at St. Joseph's Hospital in Memphis on April 2, 1968, just days before the U.S. Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1968. Working in the U.S. Air Force, we are exposed to people of different races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, social classes and other factors that contribute to their personalities but do not wholly define them as people. Striving to overcome the personal prejudices we hold within ourselves while continuing to treat others with unconditional respect is the best way to honor King's memory and is a true sign of the integrity every Airman carries with them.