February marks the honoring of Black History Month for those who fought for the rights and freedoms we have today. Many figures such as Rosa Parks and Malcolm X, stood up against the injustice put upon African Americans and voiced the concern of millions. Through their efforts, today people are able to access public utilities and gain equal rights regardless of race, ethnicity, or the color of your skin.

One of the most notable figures to have fought for equal rights is none other than Rosa Parks. Her actions in 1955, Montgomery, Alabama, helped initiated the Civil Rights Movement. Standing against city transportation and the segregation which took place within each bus, Parks, tired of the system, stood her ground when asked to give up her seat for a white male. Despite having rights to her seat on the bus, she was arrested later that day and news of her arrest spread like wildfire. Her actions that day led to thousands to boycott the Montgomery buses and the formation of the  Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA), in hopes of improving laws for African Americans. For weeks, angry Montgomery citizens utilized violence in hopes of ending the boycott; however, the boycotters did not falter, leading to the Montgomery drama to gain national attention. It wasn’t until November 13, 1956, the supreme court deemed segregations in buses to be unconstitutional, and the boycotts ended later that year, on Dec. 20. If it wasn’t for Parks, the issue of segregation wouldn’t have been brought to the attention of the Supreme Court and the nation, raising concern for African Americans and the lack of rights given to them.

Much like Parks, other activists wanted equality amongst the general populous, and there was no other person who could gain that, but Martin Luther King Jr. King’s rise in popularity stemmed from the Montgomery Bus Boycott where he became the President of the MIA, jump-starting his role in the Civil Rights Movement. He preached the importance of utilizing civil disobedience and nonviolence, calling upon people to protest peacefully. His leadership led him to become the leading spokesman for the Civil Rights Movement, allowing him to take charge on the march on Washington and speaking his famous “I Have a Dream Speech.” His cause and actions were supported by all, especially by president Lyndon B. Johnson and was named Man of the Year by TIME Magazine. However, MLK was tragically assassinated on Apr. 4, 1968, leaving the nation to mourn in his loss and to remember all of the rights he fought valiantly for.

Other activists of the Civil Rights Movement fought for rights and the ability to gain access to public utilities: however, none was as effective in calling for black pride and nationalism as Malcolm X. In amidst of the civil right movement, Malcolm, in contrast to King’s civil disobedience, called for all African Americans to defend themselves by any means necessary. His voice on independence, black identity, and integrity rallied millions across the nation starting intellectual foundations for Black Power and the black consciousness movement throughout the US. Through his work and martyrdom, Malcolm X was able to pioneer the Black Power movement and publicize independence for African Americans throughout the 60s and 70s.

Black History Month signifies the remembrance of all those who fought for the equal rights of minorities across America and those who’ve stood against the injustices presented against them. Although segregation and lack of rights are fading with time, the legacy of those who fought against them does not.