Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Today honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, a Baptist minister and one of the leaders of the civil rights movement in the United States.
Today honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, a Baptist minister and one of the leaders of the civil rights movement in the United States.
Renee Harleston
Reviewer URLNames: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., MLK Day
Today honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, a Baptist minister and one of the leaders of the civil rights movement in the United States.
Origin
Martin Luther King, Jr, an American Baptist minister, rose to acclaim following his successful leadership during the Montgomery bus boycott, which began in 1955. Dr. King was a founder of the civil rights organization Southern Christian Leadership Conference and led the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom of 1963. Dr. King was also a vital part of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. For all of his achievements, Dr. King was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1964. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of combating racial discrimination by leading nonviolent protest helped illuminate the disparities faced by African Americans during the Jim Crow era.
Dr. King was the first private citizen to receive a federal holiday in their honor. The inaugural observation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day was held in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. It was led by his widow, Coretta Scott King, in 1969, the year after Dr. King was assassinated at the age of 39.
After years of backing from his supporters and members of the government, Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a federal holiday on November 2, 1983, 15 years after his death. The day officially became a federal holiday after the United States government passed legislation enshrining the day thanks to the efforts of Michigan Senator John Conyers, the Congressional Black Caucus who circulated a petition that garnered more than 6 million signatures, and the tireless efforts of the King family, especially Coretta. It was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan and was issued its first presidential proclamation by Reagan in 1986. It took until 2000 for all 50 states within the United States to officially observe the day as a federal holiday.
When it is observed
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed on the third Monday in January. Dr. King’s birthday is January 15, 1929. The holiday is observed on a Monday in alignment with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved three federal holidays—President’s Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day—to a Monday.
Who observes this holiday
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday, meaning all government offices are closed on this day. Most schools are closed on this day.
Traditions
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated in many ways, the most popular of which is an opportunity for service and named the “Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service.” Organized nationally by Americorps, cities and towns around the country participate in acts of service with nonprofit organizations, including neighborhood clean ups, food and clothing drives, feeding the hungry, creating and tending to communal gardens, and voter registration drives.
The holiday is often observed by schools before or after the official Monday federal holiday, with events such as lectures, film screenings and informational workshops. Some churches also hold special services and host community discussion on the ideas and work of Dr. King.