The holiday we celebrate on Monday recognizes one of the most transformative figures in recent history.  

Born on Jan. 15, 1929, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have turned 83 this year.  Through his incredible leadership, passion for equal rights, and willingness to do whatever necessary to create change, King made remarkable progress in moving this country forward.

Quests for a seat on a bus or places at the lunch counter, or the ability to cast a ballot were just a few of the significant positive influences he inspired.  King had the ability to deliver his message with such lasting force.  He successfully challenged our nation to do the right thing.  So much can be learned from the manner in which MLK Jr. rallied support for righting the wrongs of society.  

The issues we face today, locally and around the globe, would be well-served to take his advice.  King’s “I have a dream” speech is the recollection most Americans have of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when profoundly stated those words from the Lincoln Memorial in 1963.  Some additional quotes of relevance we can learn from today are:

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run than walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”

Many visions King professed have come to fruition, though not without challenges.  If his life had not been cut short by an assassin’s bullet in 1968, there is no doubt he would have continued to be a powerful voice in the challenges we face today.

In the coming days, we encourage everyone to reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Listen to the words he spoke, or view the speeches he made.  His relevancy is as powerful as it was four decades ago.  We honor this great man.