Feature Article
The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr, Ph.D - January 15, 2007 Martin Luther King Day
The Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., often called 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. It is the only United States federal holiday commemorating an African-American.
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.
Opposition to the Bill was led by Sen. Jesse Helms who questioned whether King was important enough to receive such an honor. He was also critical of King's opposition to the Vietnam War and alleged Communist connections.
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.
On January 18, 1999, for the first time, Martin Luther King Day was officially observed in all fifty 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.
On January 16, 2006, Greenville County, South Carolina, was the last county in the U.S. to officially adopt Martin Luther King Day as a paid holiday.
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. Many
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. The
reasons for this have varied, ranging from the recent addition of the holiday
(each year more businesses are closed than the year before) to its occurrence
just two weeks after the week between Christmas and New Year's Day, when many
businesses are closed for part of or sometimes all of the week. 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.
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