Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK Day) was created to honor the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights activist and icon who was assassinated in Memphis on April 4, 1968. King believed in the principles of freedom, love and justice for all people, particularly African Americans, who were still dealing with the aftermath of slavery, the Civil War and Jim Crow laws during that time.
How did MLK Day become a holiday? And how can we celebrate it in Cleveland?
Read this week’s community events – MLK Day Edition.
The King Holiday Bill
Although his life ended tragically, King was beloved by people of all races and walks of life. Legislation to recognize MLK Day as a federal holiday was first introduced just four days after his assassination, but it did not have strong congressional support. It failed to pass in the House of Representatives.
John Conyers, at the time a Democratic congressman from Michigan, proposed the King Holiday Bill in 1968. Although he experienced tremendous resistance from his colleagues, he continued to reintroduce the legislation – with the support of the Congressional Black Caucus – for 15 years. The bill made its way to the House floor in 1983, passing with a vote of 338 to 90. When the bill moved to the Senate, Republican North Carolina Sen. Jesse Helms attempted to sabotage it by submitting documents that alleged King had ties to the Communist Party.
Despite this pushback, the King Day bill passed after two days of debate. President Ronald Reagan, who initially did not support the bill, citing costs, signed the King Holiday Bill into law on Nov. 2, 1983. King’s birthday is Jan. 15, but the holiday is recognized on the third Monday of every January.
“A world party on the day you came to be”
Musician Stevie Wonder played a major role in getting MLK Day to be recognized. In fall of 1980, he released his nineteenth studio album titled “Hotter Than July”. The album featured the track “Happy Birthday” which was a dedication to the life and legacy of Dr. King, while also serving as a battle cry to pressure the United States government into making the day a national holiday. The song now is commonly sung in African American homes when celebrating birthdays of loved ones.
How to celebrate MLK Day
The holiday traditionally is celebrated by reading and sharing King’s works and coming together with your community to help improve the lives of those around us, whether it be volunteering at a homeless shelter, attending an MLK Day ceremony or simply helping your neighbor shovel their driveway. In many ways, we can say, “Happy Birthday, Dr. King.”
