The Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in Washington, DC. Photo: Reuters / Allison Shelley.

American Jewish groups on Monday paid their customary tributes to the most beloved leader in the US civil rights movement’s history, as the country marked Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a national holiday.

An Atlanta, GA-born Baptist minister, Dr. King emerged as a civil rights leader in the 1950s, as he brought international attention to the segregation and discrimination targeting African Americans across the “Jim Crow” south.

King was assassinated in Memphis in 1968 by a white supremacist.

Throughout his career, King worked closely with Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and other Jewish leaders to secure the civil rights of black people in America.

Monday’s tweets from Jewish organizations all paid tribute to King’s legacy. Israeli diplomats in the US also expressed their admiration for his achievements and continuing influence.

The wisdom Dr. #MartinLutherKing bestowed on us is ageless. May he rest in peace – and may light drive out darkness as soon as possible. #MLKDay #MLKJr pic.twitter.com/q1Bpfy8vzH

— World Jewish Congress (@WorldJewishCong) January 21, 2019

Dr. King inspired a generation and helped transform a nation. Here at IAN, we like to think we carry a little bit of his sprit in our work – whether that’s bringing #Jewish people and African Americans together or Jewish Israelis and Palestinians. #MLK pic.twitter.com/ygOxjoXg2e

— IsraelActionNetwork (@IsraelActionNet) January 21, 2019

https://twitter.com/IsraelinMiami/status/1087341638970720256