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Today, in the USA, one of the world’s most famous dreamers is remembered – human rights activist and campaigner Martin Luther King Jnr.

His well-known dream was for equality – for former slaves and slave owners to sit side by side, for freedom and justice, for people to be judged by their character and not the colour of their skin.

King would have been 93 years old on Saturday and every year, the third Monday in January is marked in the States as Martin Luther King Day.

Civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jnr, who was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1929 (Photo by Frank Rockstroh/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Born on January 15 in 1929 King led the civil rights movement in America calling for peaceful protests. At the age of just 35 he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work. But four years later he was assignated while standing on a motel balcony.

In August 1963 King led a quarter of a million people on the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

Standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, he delivered a speech to the huge crowd which lasted 17 minutes and at the end gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson shouted to him: “Tell them about the dream!”.

Then followed his famous words which are still a dream in 2022.

Martin Luther King addresses crowds during the March On Washington at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC, where he gave his 'I Have A Dream' speech (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)

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Much has happened since then. Official laws of segregation are no more in the States. King’s speech and work led in 1964 to the American Civil Rights Act promoting equal opportunities in employment and the desegregation of schools, parks and other public facilities.

And yet his dream is still just that – a dream.

We’ve had horrific cases in the USA over the past couple of years with the deaths of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery at the hands of police causing protests across America and across the world.

And claims of institutional racism in the UK are still highlighting how people are treated differently depending on the colour of their skin.

It’s easy for us to point the finger at what happens in the USA and around the world, thinking our actions don’t contribute to people’s deaths or harm. Our actions, words and thoughts – or lack of them – make little difference, or so we may think. Unlike Martin Luther King, millions won’t hear what we have to say on equality and human rights.

But what are we doing to speak out against injustice in our neighbourhoods, schools and workplaces? How are we making sure we treat everyone equally and fairly, regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or ability?

King prayed for equality and justice, but he also fought for it. And thanks to his and others’ actions, the direction of a nation – and possibly a whole world – was changed.

So, 60 years later, on Martin Luther King Day in January 2022, what is our dream for Sheffield and the world – and what are we going to do to make it happen?

Martin Luther King Day: What is your dream for Sheffield and the world?