“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed – we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” -Martin Luther King Junior.

49 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at the age of 39. Although his life was short and incomplete, his work has left a prominent mark on today’s society. Dr. King Jr.’s influence on today’s society is apparent, but just how much of his vision for the future came true?

“Certain aspects in today’s society have embraced his dream, while some have difficulty moving in the right direction,” articulated Mr. Frank Jones, one of Central’s Assistant Principals. “We have made considerable progress, but there is still work to be done.”

“There are absolutely areas that are in need of growth looking at today’s society, but America has come a long way as now a person of colored skin can be the most powerful figure in America,” stated Mr. Chris Kribs, one of Central’s World History and Geography instructor.

“Dr. King Jr.’s vision for equal rights and opportunities for all children has mostly been achieved,” began Mrs. Mariea Dobbs, Central’s Latin and German instructor. “Now, it is just a matter of whether or not the children take advantage of those opportunities.”

We know how crucial Dr. King Jr.’s existence was for the growth of our country, but the question arises: what would society be like today had Dr. King Jr. never took the step forward to peacefully promote social change? Although we may never know for a fact what would become of our country, we can still speculate.

“I believe that although the changes would have happened, although the process would not have been as fast,” commented Kribs. “Society would be more violent as would the process of attaining those changes.”

“I believe that although he was a powerful figure, he was not the only one. I feel like some one would have stepped up for the right cause whether it be through peaceful or violent means,” expressed Dobbs. “The changes made to society would have happened, but it depends on who was the leader and the method that they chose to promote their concepts.”

“Society would be less equal… what is interesting though, is that Dr. King Jr. actually got a doctorate at Boston in a time where African Americans did not really go that far in education,” explained Mr. Shawn Seals, Central’s United States History instructor. “Dr. King Jr. actually applied to be a pastor at the First Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but was refused the job because he was too young. Some believe that if he had been accepted as a pastor, then he may have never been a protester since most of the protests were in Montgomery, Alabama.”

It is true that there were many other protesters in Dr. King Jr.’s time, but there are reasons as to why Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most prominent figures of the American Civil Rights Movement.

“His death brought about everyone’s attention and people saw how serious of an issue this was. He was killed for a cause,” stated Principal Jones.

“People did not only remember him from his tragic assassination, it was also his character. He was a dignified protestor whose protests would not have been over looked, they were ‘in your face” but not violent,” elucidated Kribs. “When dealing with that level of negativity, he never resorted to violence to get his point across. He could have, but he chose not to.”

“He promoted nonviolence and was killed fighting for what he believed was right,” stated Seals. “He was a martyr.”

On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. died from a single fatal shot from his balcony while in Memphis, Tennessee to lead a peaceful march. His death shook America to it’s core, but how would history change had his assassination failed?

“I would like to think that things would have gone more smoothly, but whether or not he continued with his protests, speeches, and continued to have the attention of the people is something that can’t be predicted,” stated Dobbs. “Today’s popular person could be tomorrow’s most hated.”

“I think that we would have seen more equality faster, but after he was killed there was a lot of violence,” explained Seals. “Some believe that he could have become the first African American president, but this is something that we cannot predict.”

“I think the Vietnam War would have ended sooner,” states Kribs. “People today would treat and be treated with a lot more respect.”

It is safe to say that many Americans believe that there should be equality, but why is it that it took so long for people to act upon this belief?

“For some people, they were just brought up a certain way, and just as it is difficult to break a habit, it is difficult to break from behaviors that have been acquired from a young age,” elucidated Jones.

“You cannot kill beliefs, feelings, and ideas no matter how hard you try,” explains Kribs. ” For example, Hitler has been dead for several years, but there are still people who believe in his teachings.”

“People are afraid of learning about different people. The country is too divided and does not stray from their circle,” commented Seals.

“We are humans; we are not perfect, and equality is a concept of perfection,” elucidated Dobbs. “For example, children may say, ‘It’s not fair,” but fair is not good in some cases. Society is set up unfairly as we see those with both wealth and status.”

It is undeniable that America has advanced greatly with the concept of “equality” in comparison to the past, although there are apparent improvements that needs to be addressed, so how would Martin Luther King Jr. react or say to our current society’s state?

“We need to find common ground,” states Seals. ” For example, the Democrats are not working with the Republicans, and the Republicans are not working with the Democrats. The Parties do not work with each other.”

“We have come a long way, but there is still a long way to go,” phonated Kribs.

“We have made considerable progress, but there is still work to be done,” affirmed Jones.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Dream” has been achieved in some ways, but there are still parts of it that have remained a dream. They maybe fulfilled someday, they may not, but it is a fact that society, although with great difficulty, is living in a form of union. What society needs to fulfill Dr. King’s “Dream” may just be time to acknowledge, process, and accept this young idea.