Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. with service
Photo by geoconklin2001
While most of us celebrate the fact that Monday, January 18th is Martin Luther King, Jr, Day, did you know that it actually took 15 years for Congressman John Conyers and others to lobby for this day to become a nationally recognized day?
The bill was introduced to congress just 4 days after Dr. King was shot, but it wasn’t signed into law by President Ronald Reagan until Nov. 2, 1983. In the interim, several states (including Illinois, Massachusetts, and Connecticut) had passed their own versions of the holiday to celebrate Dr. King’s life and legacy.
Today, MLK day is designed to celebrate not only Dr. King’s birthday (which is actually on January 15th) but also to recognize civil service, and, civil rights: two things Dr. King fought hard for and believed in.
Dr. King is most widely known for his “I have a dream speech” but he also often said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?”
So on this day of service, reflection, and remembrance, what are you doing to help your community and those around you? Tell us by leaving a comment below!
To learn more about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. read his mini-biography here.
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That’s a great information there.
No thanks.
It was completely unrealistic to expect that, in 1968, Martin Luther King’s birthday would be made a federal holiday. The only other person whose birthday is a federal holiday is George Washington. Not even Abraham Lincoln’s birthday is a federal holiday. Is it appropriate to say that King has the same stature as Washington and is entitled to an honor not accorded to Lincoln?
In addition to that, it is virtually conceded that King plaigiarized his doctoral thesis, and many were concerned that he had associated with, or was supported by, Communists and other subversives. All of those things had to be investigated, and feelings and tempers needed time to die down, before consideration could be given to creating a federal holiday.
Not for me either thanks. If you want a holiday for reflection, lets have it and call it Reflection Day.
I respect to MLK , His spirit and his idea.
I am a teacher in the village, a school without library, laboratory and the others facilities so to improve my student’s knowledge, in the afternoon I give them a course about English language and I bought old magazine for them because my money is not enough for new magazine
Martin Luther King Jr. means my beginning and continued freedom, plain and simply. Sure there are so many other great attributes and inspiring words to list, but FREEDOM can never be overstated.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr.
From : EsungDo
Does anyone really care?
Interesting, it’s good you have an opinion.
who do u think u are? Martian Luther King Jr. was a symbol of freedom 2 many ppl so its only fair he id honored for wat he did for African-Americans
John Cornyn lobbied for 15 years? Give me a break, that loser has never done anything for his constituents and he works full time on this?
Maybe there should be a Civil Rights Day to celebrate the rights of all Americans and those who fight to protect and preserve those rights. I’m finding conflicting information regarding just how great Mlk truly was, maybe it’s possible he has been given far more credit than he deserves.
It would be better to propose a day that celebrates many more champions of Civil Liberties that have helped the welfare of so many more people.
You might ask me to name such people, the problem is I cannot. A day such as I propose would be a great day to explore all the people who help such a universal cause. That I know would be a way to create such a list of individuals.
“did you know that it actually took 15 years for Congressman John Conyers and others to lobby for this day to become a nationally recognized day?”
Yes I did know that.
Did you know it took even longer to determine James Earl Ray did not act alone and the US Government was involved?
We are still waiting for it to be determined how much involvement there was and who was involved.
Im just so grateful to know that in this world we had a hero who is still remembered. I am helping my community by volunteering at my dads job which is for the city. Today is not just a day you have off. Today is one of our Heroes Day.
Thqnks for the day off Mr. King!
Are you kidding me, are we really going to argue about MLK Jr’s merits? I can’t believe how many people are completely missing the point of this. Yes MLK was not the sole savior of the civil rights movement, yes MLK has his faults, but even if his legacy is due solely to the (potentially undeserved) credit society gives him, he still represents freedom, justice, and equality for so many people. Stop whining and do something good for the world.
God Bless Dr Martin Luther King…His life was taken away suddenly while struggling for civil rights and change in USA and around the world but his legacy will live on forever…..There has been so many changes since 1968 but there is yet a cycle of new changes to come…We have seen changes since his death and more as the years have gone past and joyous changes as Barack Obama the 44th President of the USA was sworn in on January 20th 2009….I believe from the bottom of my heart and in the words of Dr King “We Shall over come someday”.
the sad part about all of this is the fact that there are still black only colleges, black only interest groups, black only (fill in the blank). and yet if just one “white only” group were to come about, they would imediately be grouped in with the KKK and called racist. Also – doesnt it seem a little one-sided that MLK day is a national holiday where schools are closed and yet they’re not on george washington day – THE FATHER OF THIS COUNTRY…. and slavery ended over 200 years ago so the country owes no one race any more than another.
Dr. King’s Holiday represents what he accomplished in sharing his ideals with the nation. There are many hwo not only fight for freedom, but also share the ideal on their own. Compassion and empathy come from within. The resources to improves lives through service come from without. King is widely recognized for sharing the message, but millions have advanced its implementaion. Today is a day to recognize the ideal, not just that man. After more than 20 years in civil service, I retired to teach others. And today, I volunteered my time in Dr. King’s memory to his political party, the Republican Party aka the GOP.
@ Paul I guess the efforts of Dr. King and millions go in vain as racism is alive and well; dwelling inside yourself.
Yea I think Martin Luther King Jr. had to point out the embarassment of us not having fully accepted the black community to where they were regarded as equals….embarassing….especially after Lincoln.
People just don’t speak out you know..
The part i have a hard time with is that all schools find someway to be closed for this holiday. I MEAN COME PEOPLE!!! His Nickname is THE GREAT EDUCATOR!!!
So we honor his birthday by making sure that no child is in school learning? what a slap in the face to a great man and his legacy!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Federal Holiday was enacted by co-sponsorship of many Representatives and many Senators — King is an eloquent prophet of America’s glory and its potential after the liberation of those formerly enslaved. He utilizes imagery from our founding documents as well as Biblical passages of great echo and judgment – liberation !
i thenk it si garte that he is so rexernizes he was the gerates man in to u.s.a. no outher man in the u.s a
ever had a stander hollday not on one. on presdent’s
or a quines. so I am happy for his flamily.
Being retired and disabled, I am giving a modest amount of money to The Clinton foundation for Haiti relief as the foundation has the lowest cost of operation i can find that means less than 6/10ths of one percent is used in administration costs or 99.4 cents of ever dollar goes to the people in need. I’m certain many would approve even president Busch stood nest to Clinton and Obama for ther humane thing to do.
Bigots go away your power is in the closet you’re a shame to the country of America.
How long did it take to make a cesar chavez day? thats the government it takes forever to do something.
RIP MLK amazing man!
If It wasn’t for MLK most of the African-American would not have the opportunity to enjoy life as it is today. If you are not an african-american you don’t understand, I was born the year of 1940. we went threw hell. and I look back and says we final made it. I am retired and I am loving life. Thanks, Dr. King. you gave your life for we all to have a better life. You deserved this holiday.
yes i recognize the decession of the president
I am disabled and can not do volunteer work. I try to keep my property neat, and working on disease free. Folks have to use the sidewalk. I do not break the law. That is all that I can do.
I believe he preached too much, invoking God’s name and quoting bible verses. I think he should have secularized his intentions more.
okay ppls…
some of you have awesome thing to say
others need to watch it…
Martin Luther King is a really important man. He did not work just for African American rights but for human rights completely.
This man should have your full respect- I don’t care if you hate everyone that’s not you. You should still respect a man who risked his life, and in the end had his life taken, for his people- for all the world’s people!
I know there are others who worked for these rights… we hear about these important people for a whole 4 weeks in Feb. There’s never enough learning though!
Discrimation because of sex, religion, sexulity, race, disability, nationality, country of orgin, and several other things are horrible and immoral.
hey just wanted to say you did a realy great job and i never knew that u know so much about martin luther king?
hey so close…..i just learn at school about his things in my text book ….its so pity that i feel ….he is a good man..
hey so close…..i just learn at school about his things in my text book ..just a copel days..its so pity that so early dead in 39 years old….he is a good man and very helpful to help those poor family…
With all the negative comments about MLK it shows America has a long way to go.
@ shawn good to see that you completely forgot who invented segregation in America. Blacks had no choice to have “black only this” or black only that, because we would get arrested or killed other wise.
I think it’s commendable that Dr. Martin L. King’s life is being celebrated. I think he is one of the greatest Americans since the founding of our country. I especially like the idea that his spiritual relevance is being spotlighted. He transformed our society from one permeated with racism to one in which most people regardless of their race or culture can participate.
I once met Dr. King when I was a teenager. A local supermarket chain refused to hire black teens as bag boys and I was one of the teenagers who was not allowed to work. Dr. King and his organization SCLC led a protest/picket campaign. Dr. King spoke at a local theatre one night and I got to meet him one on one! I’ll remember the experience and what he told me forever. I tell of this chance meeting with one of the greatest heroes in American culture, in my book, “Talking Penny.”