Today marks the day that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr was born. January 20 was made a national holiday in his honor in 1983 by President Ronald Reagan.
The holiday was initially supported by labor unions during contract negotiations. It wasn’t until 2000 that all 50 states began to observe the holiday.
MLK was known for his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement that reached its crest in the 1960s. He advocated for nonviolent activism against racial discrimination in federal and state law.
Several countries observe, or have observed, MLK day: Canada, Japan, Israel, and the Netherlands.
MLK was assassinated at a motel in Atlanta in 1968.
I hope you remember the reason for the holiday. Sonja