On Monday, the nation will take some time out to honor the life and legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

While largely seen as an African-American holiday, King’s work deserves to be honored equally by everyone. The principles he fought for form the basis for the freedoms all citizens should be able to enjoy in the U.S.

In fact, when he said, “I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood,” he was really dreaming of a time when the words “all men are created equal” from the Declaration of Independence would come to full fruition.

While his dream may still be a work in progress — and that progress can be painfully slow at times — to deny that progress is to deny the impact of the man who became the face of the Civil Rights Movement.

Similarly, to confine the celebration to one particular race is to deny the breadth of the man’s vision.

When Daniel Rasmussen came to St. John Parish last week to discuss his book about the 1811 slave revolt, there were some in the audience who seemed to think that he did not have the right to write a book on the subject because of the color of his skin.

His reply was, “I hope we can realize history is not owned by one particular race.”

His words are applicable to Monday’s celebrations. King’s fight, while aimed in particular at advancing the rights of African Americans, in a broader sense was aimed at making the U.S. the country it was always meant to be.