Everyone is familiar with who Martin Luther King Jr and his dream, but they aren’t quite informed on how that dream has influenced movements in the 21st century.

Martin Luther King’s dream was to have equality for all, no matter their skin color.

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,” King said in his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.

Back when Mr. Luther expressed his dream to the world, African Americans weren’t allowed to sit in the same bus as a white man nor use the same restroom as them either. Whites were seen as superior while African Americans were seen as unimportant, which plays a role in why segregation had taken over the country.

His dream did fix the controversy of inequality and racism. However, it did not conclude the issue of all brutality towards African Americans.

A large movement that has evolved from this dream is the Black Lives Matter Movement, which started in 2013 and is still a persistent fight in today’s society. It was created in order to make known that African Americans should not be treated differently than non African Americans just because of their race.

The Black Rights Matter Movement focuses on police brutality towards black people as well as the unequal treatment of blacks in schools and in daily life. Protests and campaigns have been started all over the world to get the message of change across, just as MLK did.

Although Martin Luther King took a stance mainly on the equality for black men and women, there have also been many protests regarding the equality of other groups in the 21st century, such as the LGBTQ+ people.. These movements towards equality were most likely inspired by Mr. Luther’s dream.

The Pride movement was not only one of largest movements beginning from the 1970’s, but it was one of the most life changing ones. Just as Martin Luther wanted to be able to express who he was to everyone, these LGBTQ people wanted to do the same. Although this movement took many years to achieve its purpose of equality, it has been nothing but beneficial to those who participated.

June, also called pride month, allows all LGBTQ people to come together to truly be who they were meant to be with no judgment.

Without Martin Luther King Jr expressing what he thought was right, these movements wouldn’t have had as much power as they did and still do. He inspired more people than he thought that he would, and that’s why his dream and his holiday should still be recognized in today’s society.