Quick Post: MLK Day 2023

Well, how did that happen? It’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day again already, which means another year has gone by! I wrote six posts last year, the same amount as in 2021 and 2020, which – by my calculations – means that I’ve done a mere eighteen posts in the last three years!

I’m back for 2023, though, and there’s going to be a load of posts coming your way – if I keep my New Years’ Resolution. The percentage of that occurring seems . . . dismal, but this may be the year that I finally publish that “Best Streaming Services” post that’s been in development h-e-double-hockey-sticks for several years.

However, this post isn’t about the “Lost Articles”, as I like to call them. Instead, it’s about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.! Which you’ve probably figured out by now. It’s an annual tradition here on Planet Whiz Kid! Today, we’re looking at the late great MLK’s five greatest allies. This year’s post was predicted by a younger, sprier version of me last year, as evidenced by this revealing snapshot that was recently leaked:

Now, this could be twisted to suit some people’s narrative that this wasn’t actually “leaked”, it was instead part of last year’s MLK post. That may be true, but . . . saying it’s leaked is more dramatic!

So, let’s take a look at the five biggest associates in MLK’s life and career.

5. Mahatma Gandhi

• Born: 1869
• Assassinated: 1948 (aged 78)
• Known For: Freeing India from British Rule
• Relationship with MLK: Gandhi was really an influence on Martin Luther King Jr. rather than an ally. In fact, the two never met! While Dr. King had aspired to meet Gandhi, he was unable to before the mahatma was shot and killed. However, Gandhi’s successful method of peaceful protest had a large impact on Dr. King, who would of course go on to use that as his driving force against injustice. King wrote that Gandhi was a “guiding light” for him – he really was the first to show the power of peaceful protest.

4. Malcolm X

• Born: 1925
• Assassinated: 1965 (aged 39)
• Known For: His Prominence and Activism During the Civil Rights Movement
• Relationship with MLK: On the complete opposite end of the spectrum from Gandhi, Malcolm X was a controversial figure known for his polarizing comments on race and violence. Dr. King’s relationship with Malcolm X was a bit more complicated, but they were, in a word, “frenemies”. While they shared a common goal, the means they each had in mind to achieve that equality were quite different. Though Dr. King expressed his admiration of Malcolm X, he wasn’t afraid to call him out on his harmful rhetoric. Despite their disagreements, Malcolm X was a key member of the Civil Rights Movement who helped to further Dr. King’s quest for peace, and the two held mutual respect for each other. Little known fact: the two actually only met once, pictured above.

3. Rosa Parks

• Born: 1913
• Died: 2005 (aged 92)
• Known For: Refusing to Give Up Her Seat on a Segregated Bus
• Relationship with MLK: Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat and move to the back of the bus on December 1, 1955 is one of the most iconic moments of the Civil Rights Movement. That one action acted as the launching pad of sorts for the cause’s growth. Her subsequent arrest inspired the game-changing Montgomery Bus Boycott, which Dr. King was instrumental in. This led to the legal integration of buses, proving that revision could happen. Who knows how long it would’ve taken for change to take place had Rosa Parks not done what she did? One person standing up can make a huge difference! This granted Dr. King the opportunity to step forward and become a more influential leader. Even after the bus boycott, she remained active in her advocacy and spoke highly of Dr. King: “I admired and respected him as a truly great man committed and dedicated to freedom, peace[,] and loyalty for all oppressed humanity. He was a leader of the masses in Montgomery, Alabama and the nation.”

2. Bayard Rustin

• Born: 1912
• Died: 1987 (aged 75)
• Known For: His Activism for Human Rights
• Relationship with MLK: It’s possible that you haven’t heard of Bayard Rustin. I just read up on him for the first time today in order to write this post. He’s the behind-the-scenes warrior of the March on Washington, and probably worked with Dr. King the most out of anyone except number one on this list. He was a large part of what formed King’s belief about nonviolence, and really was able to launch King into the spotlight. Together, they organized the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which played a huge part in the Civil Rights Movement. While he and King held varied opinions from time-to-time, when they collaborated on a project, it was sure to be big! It’s difficult to say that Martin Luther King Jr. would be where he is today without the help of Bayard Rustin.

1. Coretta Scott King

• Born: 1927
• Died: 2006 (aged 78)
• Known For: Her Social Justice Causes
• Relationship with MLK: Well, the relationship part is pretty obvious! They were married! They wed in June of 1953 on Coretta’s mother’s lawn. From then on out, she supported Dr. King in his just mission and became an advocate herself. She succeeded MLK after his passing and took on the reins of the civil rights movement, also pushing for women’s rights and railing against apartheid. Together, the Kings had four children who they were survived by. She is also the woman behind this very holiday that we celebrate today! For years, she pushed to make her late husband’s birthday a federal holiday – she got her wish when President Ronald Reagan made it so in 1983. She ensured that his legacy was sustained. . . . I think it’s only grown.

So, on MLK Day, remember both the incredible Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his allies who helped to make him the civil rights leader he was. His dream will never die.

Whiz Kid out