Education as Freedom: Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Vision Through Adult Literacy
Written by Terry Witherell, First Literacy Executive Director
MLK Statue on Boston Common. The statue is a memorial sculpture in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. The statue is called “The Embrace”. Photo Credit: Terry Witherell.
Each year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day invites us not only to remember a powerful leader, but to recommit ourselves to the values he championed: justice, dignity, and opportunity for all. Among those values, Dr. King consistently emphasized the transformative power of education and literacy. His vision speaks directly to the mission of First Literacy and to the adult learners whose courage and determination inspire our work every day.
A Pathway to New Opportunities
Dr. King believed education was essential to freedom. He once wrote …
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.”
For Dr. King, education was never just about acquiring information; it was about developing the ability to participate fully in society, to advocate for oneself, and to imagine a more just future. Literacy, at its core, makes that participation possible.
For many adult learners—whether they are building English language skills or strengthening foundational reading and math—education represents a second chance. It is a pathway to employment, to civic engagement, to helping children with homework, and to navigating daily life with confidence. These goals echo Dr. King’s belief that education must serve both the individual and the broader community.
Our scholarship recipients come to mind when we think of second chances. One example is Kamrunnaher, who came to the United States in 2023 from a small village in Bangladesh. She obtained a college degree from her home country and worked as a government officer, but when she came to the United States, she had to rebuild her career. In May 2025 she graduated with a certificate in Biotechnology and Good Manufacturing Practices. She now has a new job in a new career field!
Dismantling Barriers
Dr. King also understood that inequality in education perpetuates inequality everywhere else. He spoke openly about the ways limited access to quality education reinforced poverty and discrimination. In this sense, Adult Basic Education and English Language Learning are not just services; they are acts of justice. By supporting adult learners, we help dismantle barriers that have excluded people from opportunity for far too long.
One barrier that didn’t exist in Dr. King’s lifetime was access to digital literacy. In today’s digital world, many adult learners who struggle with low literacy cannot access the online resources they need to learn English and to improve their education. Blue Hills Adult Education received funding from First Literacy to address this inequity by creating a program called “Digital Literacy for the Future.” Now the playing field has been leveled for these students.
Carrying the Dream Forward Through Education
When an adult learner reads a job application independently for the first time, practices English to communicate with a child’s teacher, or gains the confidence to pursue further education, literacy becomes more than a skill—it becomes empowerment. These moments reflect Dr. King’s conviction that education should equip people “not only with knowledge, but with character,” nurturing self-respect and a belief in one’s own potential.
Importantly, Dr. King’s vision of education was inclusive. He recognized the brilliance and promise in people whom society often overlooked. Adult learners—immigrants, workers, parents, and elders—embody that promise. Their determination to learn despite obstacles is a powerful reminder that it is never too late to grow, to contribute, and to lead.
As we honor Dr. King this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we are called to move beyond reflection and into action. Supporting adult literacy is one meaningful way to carry his legacy forward. It affirms the idea that everyone deserves access to the tools that make full participation in society possible—and that education is a right, not a privilege.
Dr. King dreamed of a world where opportunity was not determined by race, income, or circumstance. By investing in adult literacy, we help bring that dream closer to reality. At First Literacy, we are proud to stand with adult learners as they claim their voices, strengthen their communities, and build brighter futures—one word, one lesson, and one achievement at a time.