As a leader of the American Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested more than 20 times. The majority of those arrests were misdemeanors related to protesting. One of these arrests was a trespassing charge for a 1960 sit-in that was protesting segregation in an Atlanta department store.

Sixty years later, Fulton County Solicitor General Keith Gammage has promised to clear MLK’s record in the county. The announcement to expunge King’s arrest record is a result of the need for criminal justice reform around the country, and specifically in Georgia. Solicitor General Keith Gammage has been working for criminal justice reform since his election in 2016—he is also responsible for clearing the records of more than 3,000 people who were arrested for nonviolent or low-level crimes.

There’s no denying the violence and discrimination that African Americans were subjected to during the Civil Rights Movement, so it is a major stride of justice for MLK and other civil rights workers’ arrests to be expunged. Gammage noted, “There is a gap between social justice-related protests and activism, and a true criminal offense.”

Though Martin Luther King Jr. isn’t here to experience the discrimination that comes with an arrest record, Gammage understands that many people live with it all their lives. A clean record can increase your chances of landing a coveted job, getting a good apartment or house, qualifying for loans, and so much more. If you have hindering charges that you’re afraid might hold you back, or are unaware of what’s exactly on your record, visit us at www.easyexpunctions.com. We offer a free background check to get you started and will work to identify your eligibility for an expunction or order of non-disclosure.