See How Dunbar Students Have Been Influenced by Martin Luther King Jr's Philosophy

Dunbar Students March for Their Lives

Dunbar Teachers Walk-In to Protest SB1

Students March Across the Nation For Safer Schools

Student Led Walkout at PLD

Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, TN, 50 years ago on April 4, 1968. The assassination sparked mourning and anger across the nation. King was in Memphis to rally support for striking sanitation workers, who wanted safe working conditions. While he was on the balcony of his room at the Lorraine Motel, he was fatally shot by James Earl Ray.

King was a longtime leader of the civil rights movement and played an important role model in protests in Montgomery, Washington, and Selma. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize at age 35. Riots broke out after the assassination in dozens of cities.

“Despite all the hate and threats, he always marched and protested. He never stopped fighting,” junior Daishyera Garner said.

“Martin Luther King Jr. was a good man. He was someone that ended up changing the world. He made a way for my people to be where we are today. He is a hero in the black community. A huge inspiration to me and the reason I try to do as much activism as I can,” junior Pearl Robinson said.

“He had a dream and now we the people have the vision: equality,” sophomore Trevaughn D. Ravenell said.

King’s belief in peaceful protesting has paved the way to modern activism. Movements such as the Women’s March, March for Our Lives and Black Lives Matter are built on this same philosophy and the participants of these movements are carrying on his legacy.

“Our walkout here at Dunbar promoted non-violence and King was a major supporter of that. Therefore we honor him in that way every time we peacefully protest,” junior Harper Sutton said.