Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
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| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | |
 Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1964 |
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| Official name | Martin Luther King Jr. Day |
|---|---|
| Observed by | United States |
| Type | National |
| Date | Third Monday in January |
| 2008 date | January 21 |
| 2009 date | January 19 |
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a United States holiday marking the birthdate of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., observed on the third Monday of January each year, around the time of King's birthday, January 15. It is one of four United States federal holidays to commemorate an individual person.[1]
King was the chief spokesman of the nonviolent civil rights movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. He was assassinated in 1968.
The campaign for a federal holiday in King's honor began soon after his assassination. Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed in 1986. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.
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[edit] Proposition
Martin Luther King Jr. Day was founded as a holiday promoted by labor unions in contract negotiations.[2] After King's death, Rep. John Conyers (D-Michigan) introduced a bill in Congress to make King's birthday a national holiday, highlighting King's activism on behalf of trade unionists.
The bill first came to a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1979. However, it fell five votes short of the number needed for passage.[3] Two of the main arguments mentioned by opponents were that a paid holiday for federal employees would be too expensive, and that a holiday to honor a private citizen would be contrary to longstanding tradition (King had never held public office).[3]
Later, The King Center turned to support from the corporate community and the general public. The success of this strategy was cemented when musician Stevie Wonder released the single "Happy Birthday" to popularize the campaign in 1980 and hosted the Rally for Peace Press Conference in 1981. Six million signatures were collected for a petition to Congress to pass the law, termed by a 2006 The Nation article as "the largest petition in favor of an issue in US history."[2]
At the White House Rose Garden on November 2, 1983, Reagan signed a bill creating a federal holiday to honor King.[4][5] It was observed for the first time on January 20, 1986.
The bill established the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission to oversee observance of the holiday, and Coretta Scott King was made a member of this commission for life by President George H. W. Bush in May 1989.[6][7]
People in America celebrate this day by going to parades or reading Dr. King's speech "I Have A Dream".
[edit] Reluctance to observe day
Senator Jesse Helms (R-North Carolina) led opposition to the bill and questioned whether King was important enough to receive such an honor. He also criticized King's opposition to the Vietnam War and accused him of espousing "action-oriented Marxism."[9] 2008 Presidential candidate John McCain also opposed the holiday's creation, but later was instrumental in getting his home state of Arizona to recognize the holiday despite opposition from Republican Evan Mecham, the Arizona Governor at the time.[10]
Ronald Reagan was also opposed to the holiday. He recanted only after Congress passed the King Day bill with an overwhelming veto-proof majority (338 to 90 in the House of Representatives and 78 to 22 in the Senate).[11] Prior to that date, New Hampshire and Arizona had not observed the day. Throughout the 1990s, this was heavily criticized. After a 1992 proposition to recognize the holiday in Arizona did not pass, the National Football League boycotted hosting Super Bowl XXVII at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe.[12] The hip-hop group Public Enemy recorded a song titled "By The Time I Get To Arizona", on their 1991 album Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black, in which they describe assassinating Arizona Governor Fife Symington III for his opposition to the holiday.
On May 2, 2000, South Carolina governor Jim Hodges signed a bill to make Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday an official state holiday. South Carolina was the last state to recognize the day as a paid holiday for all state employees. Prior to this, employees could choose between celebrating Martin Luther King Day or one of three confederate holidays. [13]
Although the day is a federal holiday and a state holiday in all states, it is usually not observed by small private companies except for banks and schools. Some large corporations close their operations (more so than on Veterans Day or Columbus Day, which are also federal holidays, but less so than on holidays such as Memorial Day or Labor Day when virtually all corporations are closed), but small shops, restaurants, and grocery stores tend to remain open. Overall, in 2007, 33% of employers gave employees the day off, while 33% of large employers over 1,000 and 32% of smaller employers gave time off. The observance is most popular amongst nonprofit organizations and least popular among factories and manufacturers.[14] The reasons for this have varied, ranging from the recent addition of the holiday (each year more businesses are closed than the year before, although often those that do choose to close "make it up" by no longer closing for Presidents Day) to its occurrence just two weeks after the week between Christmas and New Year's Day, when many businesses are closed for part or sometimes all of the week. Additionally, many schools and places of higher education are closed for classes; others remain open but may hold seminars or celebrations of Dr. King's message.
[edit] Alternative names
While all states now observe the holiday, some did not name the day after King.
In Utah, the holiday was known as "Human Rights Day" until the year 2000, when the Utah State Legislature voted to change the name of the holiday from Human Rights Day to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. In that same year Governor Michael O. Leavitt signed the bill officially naming the holiday "Martin Luther King, Jr. Day".[15]
In Virginia, it was known as Lee-Jackson-King Day. The incongruous nature of the holiday, which simultaneously celebrated the lives of Confederate Army generals and a civil rights icon, did not escape the notice of Virginia lawmakers. In 2000, a Martin Luther King Day was established in Virginia.
In Arizona and New Hampshire, Martin Luther King Day is known as "Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil Rights Day".[16] [17]
[edit] Service Day
The national Martin Luther King Day of Service was started by former Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Harris Wofford and Atlanta Congressman John Lewis, who co-authored the King Holiday and Service Act. The federal legislation challenges Americans to transform the King Holiday into a day of citizen action through volunteer service in honor of Dr. King. The federal legislation was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on August 23, 1994. Since 1996, the annual Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service has been the largest event in the nation honoring Dr. King.[18]
[edit] References
- ^ The other three federal holidays honoring individuals are: Christmas Day, Washington's Birthday (often called President's Day) and Columbus Day. See 5 USC 6103.
- ^ a b "Working-Class Hero", William P. Jones, The Nation, January 5, 2006
- ^ a b Wolfensberger, Don. "The Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday: The Long Struggle in Congress, An Introductory Essay", Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (2008-01-14).
- ^ Ronald Reagan: Remarks on Signing the Bill Making the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., a National Holiday. The American Presidency Project (1983-11-02). Retrieved on 2008-04-04.
- ^ Pub.L. 98-399, 98 Stat. 1475, enacted 1983-11-02
- ^ George Bush: Remarks on Signing the Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday Commission Extension Act. The American Presidency Project (1989-05-17). Retrieved on 2008-04-04.
- ^ Pub.L. 101-30, 103 Stat. 60, enacted 1989-05-17
- ^ George Bush: Remarks on Signing the Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday Proclamation in Atlanta, Georgia. The American Presidency Project (1992-01-17). Retrieved on 2008-04-04.
- ^ Helms Stalls King's Day In Senate
- ^ Tapper, Jake. "The Complicated History of John McCain and MLK Day", ABC News (2008-04-03): "In 1990, Arizonans were given an opportunity to vote to observe an MLK holiday. McCain successfully appealed to former President Ronald Reagan to support the holiday."
- ^ HR 3706, “A bill to amend title 5, United States Code, to make the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., a legal public holiday”, Library of Congress.
- ^ Passing the King holiday in Arizona - proposal to celebrate Martin Luther King Day | Campaigns & Elections | Find Articles at BNET.com
- ^ Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday
- ^ BNA - More Employers Plan to Observe Martin Luther King Day
- ^ S.B. 121 Bill Documents - 2000 General Session
- ^ CHAPTER 288 HOLIDAYS
- ^ Format Document
- ^ Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service
[edit] External links
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
- The Exchange A series of articles on how to keep the spirit of MLK alive
- MLKDay.Org
- MLK Online Martin Luther King Jr. Speeches, Pictures, Quotes, Biography, Videos, Information on MLK Day and more!
- Heeding MLK's Call to Action, JURIST
- The King Holiday and its Meaning - A critical look at MLK Day by Sam Francis
- "Commentary: How to make MLK Day popular" - Steve Sailer argues for moving MLK Day to the last Monday in August (the date closest to that of King's "I Have a Dream" speech)
- The Apollos A short film about the high school class that helped get the MLK Day bill passed
- Quotes By Martin Luther King, Jr.
- "The Unfinished Mission of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." (.pdf)
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