Feifei Cao ‘27 and Lily Oh ‘27
Every year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK Day) serves as a moment for reflection on community, service, and a day of relaxation for over 45% of the United States population. This year, St. Mark’s started a new tradition to celebrate MLK Day for service projects and sanitized discussions about equity. Students were divided into forms to discuss topics, such as empathy and compassion to learn about Martin Luther King’s values. Students also packed hygiene kits and Valentine’s Day treat bags for local organizations for kids. While we appreciate the school’s effort to spread MLK Day’s motto, what can we improve next year to preserve his legacy while honoring his radical vision?
While Dr. King’s contributions to the Civil Rights Movement were seismic, MLK Day has now become a stand-in for this movement, condensing decades of struggle into a singular figure. This reflects the “Great Man theory” of history, an approach popularized in the 19th century, in which past events can be largely attributed to the impact of highly influential men, rather than a collective. In doing this, MLK Day risks creating a misleading image: everything was stagnant until Dr. King arrived to change the world.
This oversimplification distorts history immensely, glorifying Dr. King as a messianic savior, sidelining countless other activists and everyday people who fought for the foundations of progress in civil rights. Figures like Claudette Colvin, Ella Baker, and Bayard Rustin remain in the margins of mainstream media and discussion, despite their importance in the movement. By placing Dr. King on a pedestal, his legacy subsequently morphs into a meaningless symbol, rather than a continued fight for justice. Honoring Dr. King should mean amplifying the vast history of Black resistance and brilliance, not just quoting his most famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
The shift in perspective is also demonstrated in pop culture. In January, Cynthia Erivo received her second Oscar nomination for Best Actress. In February, Doechii became the third female Black artist to win Best Rap Album at the Grammys. These moments are not only for cultural entertainment but also milestones that continue the movements Dr. King and many others fought for. On February 9th, Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl halftime show occurred. As Lamar brought his political statements to the stage, he reflected on the remaining racism against African Americans in America. In his performance, the general view of the United States against the Black community is represented by Uncle Sam, played by Samuel L. Jackson. Uncle Sam shouts out to Kendrick that the show is “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto.” Lamar criticizes how African Americans are restrained from freedom through the subtle oppression of societal prejudices. He further demonstrates how hypocritical politics have become in the United States by recalling the unfulfilled contract of 40 acres and a mule. “40 Acres and a Mule” refers to a promise Union General William Tecumseh Sherman made in 1865 during the Civil War, where freed African American slaves would be given 40 acres of land and a mule to help them build their independent farms. However, after the war, President Andrew Johnson reversed William Tecumseh Sherman’s order and returned the majority of the promised land back to the former slave owners.
For next year, we believe that MLK Day can improve into a continued initiative for action and long-term commitments to equality and transformation. For St. Mark’s, this means going beyond surface-level acknowledgments and bringing sustained changes to the community. Rather than just honoring Dr. King, we should use his legacy to combat injustice and uplift marginalized voices of the forgotten activists and formerly enslaved. By this, we can prevent history from repeating itself.
