On January 18 the United States celebrates the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., who used the principles of non-violent resistance in order to further the Civil Rights movement. After civil rights activists were killed in Selma, Alabama in 1965, Greek Orthodox Archbishop Iakovos marched arm in arm with King to further the cause of equality. A photo of the two marching together made the cover of Life magazine.

King’s wife, Coretta Scott King, would later say of the Archbishop’s decision, “at a time when many of the nation’s most prominent clergy were silent, Archbishop Iakovos courageously supported our Freedom Movement and marched alongside my husband, and he continued to support the nonviolent movement against poverty, racism and violence throughout his life.”