What Every College Student Can Learn from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

By Amelia Woolard

On Monday, January 20th, Americans nationwide will celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Aside from honoring Dr. King’s birthday, MLK Day helps us remember the overwhelming impact the scholar, minister, and civil rights leader had on race relations in America and hopes to inspire us to serve our communities in the same way.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1929, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dedicated his life to the fight against racism and segregation in the Deep South. He was pivotal to the creation and enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. For his work, Dr. King was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1962 before delivering his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 – five years before his untimely death in 1968.

By now, you’ve surely spent plenty of time learning about MLK and his significance to American history. But, have you ever stopped to think about how his teachings can apply to your life as a successful college student? After all, Dr. King himself spent several years in academic settings, earning degrees from Boston University, Morehouse College, and Crozer Theological Seminary. He even assumed a pastoral position while finishing up his Ph.D. program – and did all of this by the age of 25!

If you ask us, every college student can learn a thing or two from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. So, just in time for MLK Day, uCribs presents three takeaways from Dr. King’s life and legacy that you can benefit from! In fact, we believe that they are especially applicable to college students just like you.

The importance of education.

“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Back in the 1920s, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born, Black people did not have nearly as many educational opportunities as their white counterparts. The Segregation Era was in full effect, and even though Jim Crow laws varied by state, an overwhelming majority of schools did not allow Black students to use the same restrooms as white students, let alone join them in the classroom. And, with the exception of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), many colleges in affected states disqualified or limited enrollment for Black students. This made getting a quality education very difficult for minorities and other marginalized identities.

Now that approximately 70 percent of high school graduates enter college, it can be easy to forget that many communities of color weren’t able to pursue higher education until the mid-1950s – at least 100 years after white people! We suggest that you consider this fact when you’re plain stressed-out and would rather throw in the towel than push toward earning your degree. When this happens, remember MLK’s words. Choose education over ignorance, and you’ll not only honor the hard work of activists like Dr. King, but you’ll also be better equipped to handle the demands of society once you’re in the working world yourself.

The rewards that come with perseverance.

“If you can’t fly then run; if you can’t run then walk; if you can’t walk then crawl; but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy is marked by a string of high-profile achievements, like his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, his open Letter from a Birmingham Jail, and his participation in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Many of these successes, however, came after years of repeated interactions with a hostile, racist public, who did everything in their power to maintain segregation’s stronghold over the Southern United States. In fact, MLK’s activism led him to be arrested an incredible 29 times. His family home was bombed by segregationists in 1956, and he was the victim of a near-fatal assassination attempt ten years prior to the one successfully executed by James Earl Ray in 1968.

While enrolled in college, you might encounter challenges that make you consider backing away from higher education altogether – like a few bad test grades or a rocky relationship with a professor. But, when the going got tough for Dr. King, he stayed the course, never surrendering his ultimate goal of dismantling racist systems of oppression. Sure, your current daily schedule might not involve organizing protests alongside hundreds of other people or battling an unjust legal system, but Dr. King’s message should remain clear to everyone, no matter the context of your situation: stay true to your beliefs and keep moving forward – despite what obstacles lie in your way – and one day, you’ll find success.

The value of serving others.

“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was passionate about serving the community. As the son and grandson of two well-known Atlanta ministers, Dr. King grew up in an environment that prioritized serving one’s neighbors over one’s self, strictly forbade class superiority, and enforced the idea that all people could serve their community – regardless of their education or privilege. Once an adult, Dr. King translated his experiences within the church and the teachings that he received there into a lifelong devotion to civil rights. He worked tirelessly to motivate others to join his efforts, which he considered to be an act of service to the American people.

Dr. King believed that service could act as a catalyst for improved communities and, eventually, a changed world. But, as long as there are still communities in need, Dr. King’s work is not done. So, ask yourself: how can you use your talents to carry on MLK’s legacy? Whether it’s volunteering for a worthy cause, studying alongside a peer who’s struggling in class, or standing up for what’s right when no one else will, there are plenty of ways a young college student like yourself can get involved and use your voice for positive change. Plus, aside from the pure joy you’ll feel from giving back to your campus or community, you can bet that your philanthropic efforts will make a great impression on future employers, too.

It’s easy to take the many accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for granted. After all, most of us can’t imagine a world where segregated schools and bathrooms are the norm. But, MLK’s work paved the way for a brighter future for us all and helped establish laws necessary to the protection and well-being of people from all backgrounds. So, this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, uCribs urges you to remember the wise words and lessons from this iconic civil rights leader and consider how they apply to your own life in the 21^st century. You’ll likely find a lot of truth and inspiration in Dr. King’s advice – not just on MLK Day, but every day of the year!

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