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We all know MLK as an influential civil rights leader who is best known for his work on racial equality and ending racial segregation in the United States. What you may not know is that it took 15 years for the holiday to be approved by the federal government and an additional 17 years for it to be recognized in all 50 states to celebrate his life and achievements. Today, the King holiday serves multiple purposes: It honors the total legacy of King; focuses on the issue of civil rights; highlights the use of nonviolence to promote change; and calls people into public service.
Boston is a special place to celebrate Dr. King's life and legacy. King considered the city his second home, as it was in Boston that he met his wife, Coretta Scott King, and earned his Ph.D. in Theology from Boston University while living on Mass Ave. Roxbury is where Dr. King was an assistant minister at the Twelfth Baptist Church and where he and Coretta met. In 1965, Roxbury marked the starting point for the Northeast's first Civil Rights March, a procession that culminated on Boston Common, where Dr. King delivered an inspiring and iconic speech.
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