History, in my opinion, is useless unless we implement its lessons to our present society. Great leaders, such as Martin Luther King Jr., would have struggled and sacrificed in vain if the proceeding generations fail to draw upon the fundamental principles from such historical movements that managed to pull society from the ugly and dark times of hatred and intolerance.

Martin Luther King Jr. was an advocate for non-violent movement. He believed this was the most effective method to bring about social change. On April 16, 1963, King wrote a letter from Birgmingham jail to eight of his fellow clergymen in Alabama in which he discussed the necessity of the non-violent movement.

“Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored.”

King believed that by applying pressure persistently through non-violent means, such as boycotts, will force the oppressor to recognize the problem and come to the negotiation table. When the oppressor is negatively impacted politically, socially or economically by such non-violent means, it is difficult to continue to avoid the problem.

Non-violent movement also aims to expose the problem. “We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. We bring it out in the open, where it can be seen and dealt with.”

But how is King’s non-violent movement applicable to us today?

We must first understand that human rights are a necessity and everyone should advocate for it, regardless of what race or nationality the oppressed belong to. People around the world should join together in solidarity to promote equal rights.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

After celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. day with a day off from school or work, we must not only contemplate the achievements of King’s civil rights movement but consider its applicability to present times as well. Though the civil rights movement occurred decades ago, we cannot fool ourselves into believing that the age of struggle and injustice is behind us, fought and overcome. Just as the African Americans faced discrimination and oppression, people around the world continue to suffer today. A question we must pose to ourselves is if we find it imperative enough to help the oppressed that continue to struggle today.

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” –Martin Luther King Jr.

Get involved. Fight for change.