Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist minister who advocated nonviolent socio-political change, was renowned for advancing racial equality, and leading the Civil Rights Movement. From 1955 until his assassination in 1968, King led hundreds of civil rights demonstrations, resulting in favorable media coverage and public support.
Following the Rosa Parks Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Black community in Montgomery, Alabama, staged an overwhelmingly successful bus boycott that lasted nearly a year. As a result of his leadership role in the boycott, King ended up in jail, leading him to become a Civil Rights icon. At age 35, King won the Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to the American Civil Rights Movement.
Despite King's significant contributions to society, his birthday was only declared a federal holiday in 1983. In 2000, MLK Day became a national holiday in all 50 states after much public support and campaigning.
When is Martin Luther King Jr. Day?
Every year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day takes place on the third Monday of January. This year, MLK Jr. Day will occur on January 16th, 2023. Millions of Americans commemorate this holiday with marches, rallies, and speeches celebrating the life of King and reflecting on the importance of anti-racism, racial equality, and social justice.
During the March on Washington in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a speech titled "I Have a Dream," one of the most iconic speeches in American history, to more than 250,000 people on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. King made his speech precisely one century after Abraham Lincoln freed millions of enslaved people.
Despite acknowledging that Black people were still far from freedom, King spoke of his hopes for a future of liberty and equality in a country rife with racism. There is no better way to describe this than through the line, "I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream."
Famous Quotes from Martin Luther King
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
"Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood."
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream that…one day, right there in Alabama, little Black boys and Black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.”
"Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'"
"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed — we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred."
“People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.”
History of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Although we may understand and associate Martin Luther King Jr. as a pivotal and essential figure in American history, in the 1960s and 1970s, Martin Luther King Jr. Day faced controversy. More so, King's holiday would be the first to celebrate a national figure who wasn't a president and was African American.
On King's birthday, January 15th, 1968, four days after his assassination, Representative John Conyers introduced the first motion to make King's birthday a federal holiday. Still, it wasn't until 1979 that the motion passed.
The first attempt fell five votes short of the two-thirds majority despite efforts by Congress and President Jimmy Carter. But that wasn’t the end, in 1981, musician Stevie Wonder released the song "Happy Birthday" to promote King's holiday. In addition, The King Center– established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King, King’s wife– organized a March on Washington with approximately 500,000 people. Together, Scott King and Wonder presented a petition, signed by 6 million people, to the House leader, Tip O'Neill.
Martin Luther King Jr. finally received a federal holiday in 1986, almost 20 years after Congress first saw the bill. However, the bill continued to face an uphill battle when it was time for every state to recognize the holiday. As a result, Martin Luther King Jr. Day only gained national recognition in 2000 and continues to collide with Robert E. Lee Day (January 17th, 2023) in Alabama and Mississippi, which honors the infamous Confederate general.
How Can We Honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day?
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr.'s struggle for racial equality, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is an ideal time to learn more about his life and work and how you can put them into practice. Also, King's Day is the only federal holiday recognized as a "National Day of Service," so rather than staying home, volunteer and get out to give back to your community. Consider his legacy and the valuable messages he has passed on to us that are still relevant today. Let his legacy inspire you. In honoring King this year, let us never forget how far racial equality has come and how much more there is to do.
Activities for adults to celebrate MLK Day:
Take the time to get to know King better: Instead of just reading quotes from King, read or listen to his full speeches so you can better understand the context and power of his words.
Celebrate the lives and work of Black musicians who used music as an "instrument of change".
Commit to serving others. For example, clean up a public place, mentor a young person, or provide food to those in need.
Support organizations that fight for racial justice.
Support Black-owned businesses.
Check out these activities for kids:
Discuss with older family members or a person in your community who lived during the Civil Rights era and ask them about their memories.
Collect cans for food banks, wash cars to raise money for people who are houseless, or send care packages to soldiers abroad.
Discuss the dreams MLK had and ask the students/children about the things they dream about for themselves, their families, the country, and the world.
You can provide or read some books about the Civil Rights movement that are appropriate for children.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Resources
For the classroom
Educational resources
Teaching beyond MLK's "I have a dream"
In the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr. recognized music's power to bring about change, particularly among young people. Music enabled youth to express themselves and become community leaders and changemakers.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a significant figure in the Civil Rights Movement, and his message of equality and nonviolence had a profound impact on American culture, including music. Many musicians during the Civil Rights era, particularly in the African American community, created songs that reflected the struggle for civil rights and the philosophy of nonviolence espoused by King. A great example includes "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke. King's speeches and sermons also often included references to music, particularly gospel music, and he used music as a tool for promoting social change.