Holidays Plus
History of “The Star Spangled Banner”
IN 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
He had three ships and left from Spain;
He sailed through sunshine, wind and rain.
He sailed by night; he sailed by day;
He used the stars to find his way. ... Indians!”
Columbus cried; His heart was filled with joyful pride.
Dr Martin Luther King's “I Have A Dream” speech
Martin Luther King Jr. developed his philosophy of nonviolent resistance and social justice by learning from Mahatma Gandhi (nonviolent direct action), Christian theology (specifically the social gospel), and mentors like Benjamin Mays. He was heavily influenced by his father’s defiance of segregation, Thoreau's Civil Disobedience, and the structural, peaceful tactics of Bayard Rustin.
- Mahatma Gandhi: Adopted the principles of nonviolent resistance as a tool for social change.
- Family & Religion: Deeply influenced by his father, Martin Luther King Sr., and his upbringing in the Ebenezer Baptist Church, fostering a commitment to service and justice.
- Educational Studies: His time at Crozer Theological Seminary and Boston University helped solidify his intellectual approach to injustice.
- Mentors & Activists: Mentored by Benjamin Mays and learned strategic organizing from figures like Bayard Rustin and A. Philip Randolph.
- Intellectual & Historical Figures: Influenced by Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience, Walter Rauschenbusch’s Social Gospel, and the principles of American democracy.