Respect

On October 14th, 1964, Martin Luther King, Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent protest to racial prejudice in America. Obviously, this was a good thing. A man who made invaluable contributions to our society was given the respect and reward that he very much deserves.

While the event in and of itself didn't have much effect on racial tensions in American society, it was a landmark in that it was granting an award to one of the most famous civil rights activists in American history. Though the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize didn't directly do much, Martin Luther King Jr.'s efforts as a whole did have an enormous effect on our society. Using civil disobedience, he was a leading and powerful force within the civil rights movement and became an icon of modern American liberalism, as well as helping to promote racial equality in America. This obviously affects the lives of every American citizen, seeing as how we're all involved in one way or another with race relations. For me personally, were there to still be a barrier of segregation between African-Americans and whites, I don't think I would be able to be friends with one of my very good friends, Lexi, who's black. It goes without much explanation the massive effects Martin Luther King, Jr.'s work has had on us all - our lives wouldn't be the way they are today without it.

I most certainly appreciate this event in particular, because it's giving a man who has worked hard for what he believes in the honor and respect that he deserves. It's a huge accomplishment to win the Nobel Peace Prize, and given that Martin Luther King Jr. was able to make the strides that he did through the use of nonviolent protest, I feel it is highly fitting that he got the award he very much deserves.