Jan. 15 (UPI) — The nation is paying tribute to the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, marking 38 years since the federal holiday was first observed in honor of the slain civil rights icon.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2024 takes place on King’s actual birthday, Jan. 15, as the holiday is celebrated on the third Monday of January each year.
King was the driving force behind the U.S. civil rights movement, whose nonviolent efforts to achieve social and racial equality came to signify a transformative chapter in American history, culminating in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
King’s influence reached new heights as his peaceful protests exerted pressure on Southern lawmakers to dismantle racist and segregationist practices rooted in the era of Jim Crow, leading to many pivotal moments in the arduous journey toward civil rights, including the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1956 and the March on Washington in 1963, where King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
The nation continues to pay tribute to King’s lasting legacy some 56 years after his death, with numerous events scheduled in 2024, including a commemorative service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where King served as co-pastor for eight years before he was assassinated in 1968.
Various commemorations and volunteer events were held across the nation throughout the weekend, culminating with Monday’s tributes in every state.
A number of events are planned in the nation’s capital, including a prayer breakfast, wreath laying ceremony, peace rally and parade, as well as a special exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
New York City leaders have organized a food drive and book drive in honor of King, while a Monday panel discussion at the Empire State Building will feature a special screening of a film dedicated to King’s legacy.
In Chicago, a breakfast hosted by the Rev. Jesse Jackson is planned for Monday, as well as a carnival, panel discussion, sports tournament, church services, and several other family events in King’s honor.
The Los Angeles area is planning to host more than a dozen King Day events throughout the day, including a prayer breakfast, parade, clothing drive and volunteer festival.
Many communities will hold events that aim to promote peace and healing nearly four years after racial tensions gripped the country following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day has come to be recognized in all 50 states and remains the only federal holiday that is also designated as a National Day of Service to encourage volunteerism.
The inaugural King holiday took place 18 years after King’s death, on January 20, 1986, following the signing of the King Holiday Bill by President Ronald Reagan in November 1983.
The historic achievement marked the culmination of a 15-year congressional battle to establish a federal holiday in honor of King after Michigan Democrat John Conyers proposed the legislation four days after the civil rights leader was murdered at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis on April 4, 1968.
Conyers, a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, initially received no support for the measure to honor King as mixed attitudes on race persisted in Congress, but Conyers continued to reintroduce the bill throughout the 1970s and much of the 1980s until it passed in 1983 amid nationwide public support.
The major turning point came around 1980 when Motown legend Stevie Wonder released the song “Happy Birthday” as a tribute to King, which helped advance the cause to establish a federal holiday in his name, according to the National Museum of African American History & Culture.
Wonder continued to play a pivotal role in building momentum and widespread support for the holiday, promoting a petition that gained 6 million signatures as he attended numerous rallies with King’s widow, Coretta Scott King, who died in 2006 at age 78.
In 1981, Wonder honored the slain civil rights leader by concluding his national tour with a benefit concert on the National Mall, echoing King’s historic address at the same site nearly two decades later, and helping bring about a significant shift in attitudes to honor and preserve King’s legacy.
In 1983, the House overwhelmingly passed the bill, which went on to survive fiery opposition in the Senate from North Carolina Republican Jesse Helms, whose last-ditch attack on King’s character during two days of debate failed to stop the bill from reaching Reagan’s desk.
Even after the bill was signed into law and went into effect three years later, not every state initially chose to observe the holiday, with New Hampshire becoming the last state to officially name the holiday for King in 1999.
Controversy continued to surround the holiday 20 years ago as many private sector companies refused to recognize MLK Day and give employees another day off with pay immediately after the holidays, leading to criticism from prominent Black voices of the time, including comedian Chris Rock, who quipped “You gotta be pretty racist to not want a day off from work.”
More recently, less than half of U.S. employers have committed to closing down for the King holiday despite continued pressure from progressives and rights advocates, according to a 2019 Bloomberg Law survey.
James Earl Ray, a career criminal and fugitive, pleaded guilty to King’s murder on March 10, 1969, and died in 1998 after serving 29 years of a 99-year sentence.
