Portrait of a Servant Leader: Martin Luther King Jr.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.

Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

Martin Luther King Jr. was an incredible leader in our nation’s history. King stood in the face of adversity and demanded we confront the racism in our society. With great courage and integrity he inspired others to do the same through peaceful demonstrations. Given this, it is critical to reflect on Martin Luther King Jr.’s life: what he stood for, what he sacrificed, and his incredible courage.

December 1, 1955 was a life-changing day for King. This was the fateful day that Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the Montgomery city bus. As news about Rosa Parks spread, E.D. Nixon and Martin Luther King Jr. met with other local leaders to continue Park’s momentum for civil rights. They devised a plan to boycott the Montgomery city buses and King was elected leader. Under the leadership of King, the boycott lasted 382 days and resulted in the removal of the law mandating segregation of the public transportation system.

Excited by their victory, King and other ministers, formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. This group hoped to utilize the assets of strong, black churches, including their ability to organize, their sound moral conduct, and their capacity to mobilize large-scale nonviolent protests.

Martin Luther King Jr. is known for leading peaceful protests. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, King took a trip to his birthplace. King himself became an inspiration for the entire nation. Known as one of the greatest orators of our time, he was able to convey strong messages and feelings using elegant speech. The victories that King achieved show that peace achieved through nonviolence is more powerful than when achieved through violence. We must take time to remember Martin Luther King Jr. and his dream of equality and peace. Let him be a reminder for all of us to practice engaging conflicts in a peaceful manner. See what good you can accomplish when you lead with peace.

Click here to watch a video of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “To Serve” speech.