On Jan. 16, we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.s life and the difference that he made for our country. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated on the Monday closest to his birthday, Jan. 15. He was shot dead standing on his balcony ouside his second-floor room at Lorraine Motel in Memphis. This all happened on Thurday Jan. 4, 1968, at 6:05 pm. 

Martin Luther King Jr. is famous for his, “I Have A Dream ” speech. “I Have A Dream ” is a public speech that was delivered by American civil rights activist and Bapist minister Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on Aug. 28, 1963. In the speech, King called for civil rights and economic rights and an end to racism in the United States. He was standing in front of more than 200,000 people.

Martin Luther King Jr. gave over 2,500 public speeches during his lifetime. Many of them were delivered without a manuscript, some with a few notes, and some were improved by himself. 

Martin Luther King Jr.’s last speech was “I Have Been to the Mountaintop”. He had his speech in Mason Temple in Memphis on April 3, 1968. Towards the end of his 43- minute address, he said, “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And he’s allowed me to go up the mountain. And Ive’d looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!” 

The following day, around 6 pm, he was assassinated at Lorriane Motel. He was only 39 years old.