15 Unforgettable Photos of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Impactful Life

If Martin Luther King Jr. were still alive today, he’d be 93 years old. Unfortunately for us all, he was taken from us much too soon when he was assassinated in 1968. But the impact he made in his 39 years on earth has stood the test of time — we still know him today as one of the most significant civil rights leaders in American history.

The moment that lives on most memorably in our culture is his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington on Aug. 28, 1963, the words of that address have reverberated through time as new generations continue to connect with King’s vision of equality, and a world when Black Americans would “not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

But that speech was only one of his many unforgettable contributions to our society. King also organized and participated in revolutionary marches, boycotts, and demonstrations that demanded the fair and just treatment to which all humans are entitled, and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his work.

Nearly 53 years after his death, America hasn’t exactly made the progress King might’ve imagined when he said “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” As we continue to struggle along our lengthy road to racial equity, battling issues like police brutality and voter suppression, we still have plenty of work to do to fulfill his dream — but we’re a lot closer to that goal, thanks to the contributions of King and those who followed in his footsteps.

As we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, take a look back at the civil rights leader’s monumental life with these moving photographs that capture a man who made a difference that can never be erased.