Commemorating Martin Luther King Jr.
January 6, 2022
As students, we know Martin Luther King Jr. Day as simply a day off, but there is so much significance behind this important day and the historical figure it celebrates. Without Martin Luther King Jr.’s strong desire for equality in America, this country would not be where it is today.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a minister and spokesperson of the American Civil Rights Movement. He is most notably known for his “I Have a Dream” speech in which he voiced his desire, along with the desire of many, for the end of segregation, racism, and discrimination against people of color. He was so devoted to the cause that when he was the youngest person to receive a Nobel Peace Prize at 35 years old, he returned all of the money back to the Civil Rights Movement.
This year, Martin Luther King Jr. day falls on January 17th but is meant to commemorate his birthday (January 15th.) The two-day difference happens because of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act to mandate commemorations such as MLK Jr. Day (and others) to be moved to Mondays. As a result, Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls on the third Monday of January.
While we also take this day off to relax, remember to take into account the importance of who it celebrates and the efforts that Martin Luther King Jr. and many other important historical figures have made to better our country and the lives of the people in it.
To learn more about the history of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, visit:
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1964/king/biographical/
To learn more about the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, visit:
