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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is an important American tradition that honors one man’s struggle for justice and equality for all. On this day, we celebrate an American hero who, through the power of words and peaceful resolve, fought the violent and legal injustices that plagued our nation in the 20th century. His struggle made the country more true to its founding ideals: that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights.
 
In his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Dr. King wrote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Despite his incarceration, King’s words were emboldened with a hope and conviction that have continued to inspire countless men and women – even decades after his death. His empowering vision of a world built on brotherhood and equality has helped shape this great nation and inspired freedom movements around the world.
 
Nearly 51 years ago, not far from my office on Capitol Hill, King stood before a crowd and famously delivered a speech that described a world where one’s skin color would be nothing more than a color. He envisioned a world where one would be defined by their character. A world where all men and women could sit down together and be united by the shared essence of humanity, and a world where all children could join hands, never knowing the harsh realities of prejudice and intolerance.
 
Despite Dr. King’s untimely death, his legacy is immortal. I urge everyone to reflect on the principles of Martin Luther King Jr. and the virtues he peacefully defended, so that we, as a nation, can continue to embody his dream of opportunity and equality for all.