Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to
Michael Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. Later in life Michael changed his first name to Martin. He attended segregated public schools and graduated from high school at the age of fifteen. He went on to study at a few distinguished colleges. He spent a lot of time working to become a member and one day leader of the movement for colored people. He helped plan and organize peace protests based on the techniques Gandhi used before him. On a peace march to Washington, D.C., King delivered his speech that he is most famous for, “I have A Dream”.
King’s quote about education mean that it’s not enough to know how to think, but also why to think. King isn’t talking about schools in this quote when he mentions education. What King means by education is what we teach and learn for ourselves. A school can show you how to be intelligent or of good character, but we have to choose to learn it for ourselves. An example of this in King’s life, is in the many years he spent studying in college to help try and change laws regarding African Americans. While he rose to prominence, he tried to remain diligent and fair to his goals. He continued trying to show intelligence and character to others through peace. No matter how prominent he became from his success he remained true to his character to end segregation and find equality for African Americans.
I find difficulty applying and explaining this quote to something in my life. This quote means to me that you must define yourself with what, how, and why you learn. Every moment of life is an example of this quote. No matter how small an event is, it educates us and that, in turn changes how we collectively see ourselves. I learn therefore I am is an adequate explanation. This example explains that we only learn what we choose to, because intelligence and character are personal. My example is life, because each moment gives new intelligence and changes character no matter how small. All of life is an education and what we take or don’t from it, is up to us.
Works Cited
"Martin Luther King Jr. - Biography". Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2014. Web. 7 Feb 2016. http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1964/king-bio.html.