Realizing MLK’s True Legacy
Martin Luther King Jr. Day comes around on the third Monday of every January. At Western Reserve Academy, MLK Day is an interesting subject, focusing on discussion and reflection. At this point in most students’ lives, many have heard of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and are familiar with his work across America. They grow up reading about his speeches while only dedicating one day to learning about him.
In middle school, students hear about the man with great power in his words. He was someone who stood against injustice and a powerful speaker who went on to earn medals and awards. However, he was hated, and criticism and senseless acts of violence targeted him. The true implications of MLK day are often simplified, diminishing the holiday’s significance. On this day, society does not remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as a whole. When he is celebrated, it is partial, focusing on certain aspects of his work without recognizing his entire journey.
It takes years to fully realize his impact. Educators often limit his achievements to a specific march or the influential “I Have a Dream” speech. Many learn he was an activist through the civil rights era without discussing the events preceding or following his life. Conversations focus on a few years of his work, rarely discussing the severity of the events that pushed him and many others to stand up and fight for a better society. We rarely discuss how people mourned the loss of a leader. We rarely discuss how his work is still unfinished. Too many things are excluded from the straightforward, short narrative this country pushes. We’ve created an image that is easy to honor in school so that we feel better about “caring” about equality within our nation.
At Western Reserve Academy, many conversations take place during MLK day. Some students believe that it should be a day off, asserting that this is the best way to honor him as many honor Martin Luther King Jr. through a day of service in lieu of attending classes. As Dr. Nyle Fort, WRA’s guest speaker on Friday, January 20th, highlighted, Martin Luther King Jr.’s biggest hope was to be part of a “beloved community.” Segregation stood in opposition to this “beloved community,” which, even today, in a post-Jim Crow society, has not yet been realized. There is still work to be done. Many schools offer their students the opportunity to maintain Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy by continuing to serve and work toward said “beloved community.”
This year, WRA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee decided to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. with a week-long celebration. Hosting a speaker for one day would not be sufficient to truly realize Martin Luther King Jr.’s great influence and effect on Americans. His work cannot be honored through the span of an hour-long speech. Dr. Nyle Fort acknowledged his desire to return to WRA to tackle the great yet complex questions he was posed. Race and equality cannot be discussed in a matter of one day and called a celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s work. Expanding upon these events, the DEI committee offered multiple activities and spaces to honor his legacy. By holding meaningful discussions, media showings, and an excursion to the Maltz Museum with photographs highlighting the civil rights movement. The goal was to draw interest from many students across campus in order to get people actively involved, as his work connects to our modern mission as a school. Participation in these events pushes our community to create a more inclusive and understanding environment.
– Arlette Correa ’24
The Reserve Record 