Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. As a man who stood for equality and fairness, he is considered a champion of rights for many.

#BetterTogether is brought to you by the Tuscarawas County Board of Developmental Disabilities

People with disabilities make up the largest minority group in the United States. Martin Luther King Jr. was a strong ally in their fight for equality.

On Monday we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and remember his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King fought for equality and the rights of the oppressed. He widened his message and movement, less than a year before his assassination, to include all of those oppressed. Dr. King’s movement gave a voice to the disability movement.

“People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” -Martin Luther King Jr.

Neither the work of the disability movement nor the work of Dr. King is complete. The efforts of the Civil Rights Movement is key in the progress and equality we continue to work on today. For more information about Dr. King check out mobilityworks.com and disabilityempowerment.net.

The Tuscarawas County Board of Developmental Disabilities (TuscBDD) has resources for children and adults with developmental disabilities. TuscBDD provides Early Intervention for children birth to three years old, Service and Support Administration for people of all ages, family support services, family mentorship, and more! To learn more about these services and others, visit TuscBDD online at www.tuscbdd.org or call (330) 308-7173.

Audrey Mattevi, Reporting