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OVERVIEW OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY
Martin Luther King Day is a United States holiday honoring the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., observed on the third Monday of January each year, around the time of King's birthday, January 15.
The holiday was the result of a large-scale campaign headed by a number of activists. One of the most notable of these was musician Stevie Wonder, who released the single "Happy Birthday" to popularize the campaign in 1980 and hosted the Rally for Peace Press Conference in 1981. At the White House Rose Garden on November 2, 1983, U.S. President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a federal holiday to honor King. It was observed for the first time on January 20, 1986.
HISTORY OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY
On January 18, 1993, for the first time, Martin Luther King Day was officially observed in all 50 U.S. states. The day is marked by demonstrations for peace, social justice and racial and class equality, as well as a national day of volunteer community service.
Although the day is a federal holiday and a state holiday in all states, it is usually not observed by small private companies. Many large corporations close their operations, but small shops, restaurants, and grocery stores tend to remain open. Additionally, some schools and places of higher education are closed for classes; others remain open but may hold seminars or celebrations of Dr. King's message.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY TRIVIA
What two famous general's birthdays were celebrated on January 19th?
Lee-Jackson-King Day was a holiday celebrated in the Commonwealth of Virginia from 1984 to 2000.
Robert E. Lee's birthday (January 19, 1807) has been celebrated as a Virginia holiday since 1889. In 1904, the legislature added the birthday of Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824) to the holiday, and Lee-Jackson Day was born.
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan declared January 19 to be a national holiday in honor of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Since 1978, Virginia had celebrated King's birthday in conjunction with New Year's Day. To comply with the federal decree, the Virginia legislature simply combined King's celebration with the existing Lee-Jackson holiday.
The incongruous nature of the holiday, which simultaneously celebrated the lives of Confederate generals and a civil rights icon, did not escape the notice of Virginia lawmakers. In 2000, Virginia Governor James Gilmore proposed splitting Lee-Jackson-King Day into two separate holidays, with Lee-Jackson day being celebrated the Friday before what would become Martin Luther King Day. The measure was approved and the two holidays are now celebrated separately.
Source: The English Wikipedia
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