WHY IS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.’S BIRTHDAY A HOLIDAY?

Many people are unaware that naming Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday as an official holiday was not an easy task. It didn't happen in a flash. In fact, it took 32 years of lobbying and advocacy to achieve this.

The United States only proclaimed it a holiday in 50 states.

It was only in 1983 that all 50 states of the United States declared it a holiday, to be observed beginning in the year 2000. Every year on the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday is observed as a state government holiday. This is despite the fact that his actual birthday is January 15th.

 Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy

Despite the significant efforts of civil rights activists, it took a long time for the government to recognize Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy and contribution to civil rights. Even after the federal government declared a national holiday in 1983, it took an additional 17 years for the holiday to actually be observed. This delay reflects the fact that progress in the civil rights movement was not linear, and that there were significant obstacles to overcome before MLK Jr.'s legacy could be honored with a national holiday.

This is due to the fact that the holiday was set to coincide with the date of his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, which took place on August 28th. Despite the magnitude of MLK Jr.'s contribution to civil rights and the impact of his speech, it took decades for his legacy to be recognized with a national holiday.

Even though the civil rights movement was important and MLK Jr.'s work was widely known, political opposition to a national holiday went on for many years. Although the speech was a defining moment in the civil rights movement, it would take 15 years of hard work and tireless advocacy from MLK Jr.'s supporters before a federal holiday in his honor could be established.