HILL AIR FORCE BASE — The Civil War officially abolished slavery, but it failed to end discrimination against black Americans.
Something needed to be done to stop the injustice, so Americans, both black and white, mobilized the civil rights movement, officially recognized from 1954 to 1968. This began a fight for social justice as African Americans attempted to gain equal rights under U.S. law.
Prominent figures emerged during the civil rights movements and their actions, however small they may have seemed at the time, formed the path toward equal opportunity.
On Dec. 1, 1955, 42-year-old Rosa Parks unwittingly became the “mother of the modern-day civil rights movement” by refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus. Her actions sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, lasting 381 days, and incited the Montgomery Improvement Association led by Baptist minister Martin Luther King, Jr.
A major advocate of non-violent activism in the struggle for racial discrimination, King’s actions were quintessential in the struggle toward racial equality.
As with Rosa Parks, King became a prominent leader for civil rights, beginning in 1955 by his actions as a spokesperson for the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
He built a legacy of historical acts that drove America toward equality. From peaceful protests to 50-mile marches, King continued America’s civil rights movement until his untimely death April 4, 1968.
MLK observance 11 a.m. Jan. 14
Team Hill will host a Facebook live observance at 11 a.m. Jan. 14 to discuss diversity and inclusion and remember King and his actions toward creating a better America.
The featured speaker will be Col. Mark E. Tate, commander of the 748th Supply Chain Management Group. The 748th SCMG executes a $1 billion buy and repair budget and serves as the focal point for Air Force supply chain planning and execution supporting the worldwide sustainment of a myriad of weapons systems.
Tune in at www.facebook.com/hillairforcebase/live to celebrate and remember the actions of King and continue his legacy toward defeating racism and social injustice.
