Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday Honored With Google's 'Dream' Doodle

Google's homepage logo was transformed on Monday to honor Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who would have been 83 years old on January 15.

King was assassinated in 1968 while standing on the balcony of his hotel in Memphis, Tennessee.

The doodle, which was created by artist and author Faith Ringgold, features some of the most famous lines from King's "I Have A Dream" speech, which he delivered from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during 1963's March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom.

"I have a dream that my four little children will not be judged by the color of their skin," reads the doodle.

The actual line from King's speech is longer, and reads, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

The doodle also includes the line "We shall overcome someday," which, according to The Washington Post, was not only a phrase King often used, but is also a reference to the song "We Shall Overcome" which was an anthem of the civil-rights movement.

King was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1929. He attended Morehouse College and later Boston University where he received a doctorate in theology. King's first major contribution to the civil-rights movement came when he lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. The boycott lasted 382 days, and succeeded in overturning laws requiring segregation on buses.

In 1964, at the age of 35, King became the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize, which he received for his work to end racial segregation and discrimination. According to official Nobel Prize website, King gave his prize money to the
civil-rights movement.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which is observed annually on the third Monday of January, was first celebrated in 1986, although it took until 2000 for all states to observe the day, notes SearchEngineWatch

Check out Google's homage to Martin Luther King Jr. below. Last year's doodle, which you can see here, featured children playing hopscotch.

See more Google doodles:

Comments

[gingerpaws]

12:25 AM on 01/17/2012

This image makes a lot more sense if you're familiar with Faith Ringold's style of art. If you're not though, it does seem a little silly and cartoonish.

[jimli3001]

12:20 AM on 01/17/2012

These days MLK day and the legacy of MLK are more and more claimed only by black people. It's considered a black holiday and a celebration of black people. This doodle, drawn by a black woman, features only black faces. But we ALL celebrate the holiday.

In the past we were taught King's vision included everyone - all races. Not just blacks. Not even just blacks and whites. Everyone. Murals and artwork from back in the day tried to include people of ALL backgrounds. Sometimes the representations were awkward or stereotypical in their execution - but at least there was an effort. That vision of America was brilliant, inclusive, and hopeful. This doodle, in line with the self-centered, self-serving attitudes of our times, ignores all that and says screw everyone else; this is ours; the rest of you are on your own.

[MIKEinNYC]

07:01 PM on 01/16/2012

Maybe it's me but I don't think the sculpture looks like Dr. King.

[voagirl]

10:58 AM on 01/17/2012

It isn't only you. The sculpture does not look like him. The mouth is exaggeraged, eyes look slightly Asian and he looks intimidating which was not true to his character at all.

[MIKEinNYC]

04:26 PM on 01/17/2012

And what's worse is that they got the quotation wrong. How does stuff like this happen?

[Darth Cheney]

01:12 PM on 01/16/2012

Bing's is better today (as usual) and nobody will notice (as usual).

[EJ Ejakd]

11:49 AM on 01/16/2012

I don't like this cartoon doodle for Dr. King's birthday google decided they'd put on display. Take this down. It is silly and under minds his contribution.

[huffpostuser1234]

06:10 PM on 01/16/2012

Totally Agreed.

[Vic22]

10:57 AM on 01/16/2012

Google made him look like Black Sandusky