America is attempting to "reclaim" Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy today at a time where racial justice often appears to still be a major issue in society.
"Despite the incredible victories of the civil rights movement, black and brown communities continue to face structural barriers to enjoying racial and economic equality," Martin Luther King III, MLK Jr.'s son, wrote in an MSNBC article.
Many Twitter users are using today to reflect on the racism discussion that came to light after the Ferguson shooting, where a white officer fatally shot a black teen.
Quieting myself today, not because of what happened to MLK Jr, but because of what is still happening. #ICantBreathe #Ferguson #ReclaimMLK
— Emily Maynard (@emelina) January 19, 2015
As @BroderickGreer reminds us, we need to stop whitewashing #MLK: #ReclaimMLK pic.twitter.com/sblqLG3M6N — T. Thorn Coyle (@ThornCoyle) January 19, 2015
This quote is 50 years old and is still as relevant today as it was then The reign of the 1% must end #ReclaimMLK pic.twitter.com/q3ov6XDcy5 — Mistress Pie (@MistressPie) January 19, 2015
We celebrate MLK Jr. today, 60 years after the civil rights movement. King was an advocate for racial and economic equality, though recent events show that America still has a long way to go.
"The values that we talk about as important in democratic societies seem to disappear when it comes to the rights of people of color," Martin Luther King III wrote.
This inequality that still prevails between races is why the Internet is attempting to reclaim MLK Jr. today by talking about the societal issues.
MLK Jr. once said himself, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter."
