The third Monday of January is recognized as a federal holiday to celebrate the birth and life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The enactment of the law to celebrate his birthday was not without a fight. Born January 15, 1929, King was assassinated at the age of 39 in 1968. While legislation for a King Holiday was introduced days after his assassination, it would take years before it would come to fruition. The push for recognition of his birthday to become a federal holiday began to heat up in 1981.
After the assassination of Dr. King, his wife, Coretta Scott King founded the King Center. The King Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to continuing the efforts of Martin Luther King, Jr. One of their objectives was the establishment of a federal holiday recognizing Dr. King. Yet it wasn’t until the Rally for Peace March in 1981 when the goal began to become a reality. With the support of the public and popular musicians, the Rally and March at the National Mall garnered enough support to push legislative action. One major supporter of the campaign was Stevie Wonder. The previous year he performed a King Holiday national tour to attract support and awareness. Additionally, it was at the Rally for Peace Press Conference where Stevie Wonder released his “Happy Birthday” song which was written for Dr. King.
Finally, the bill was passed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983. However, it was not until 1986 when the holiday was observed for the first time. Unfortunately, some states were opposed to the holiday and was slow to enact the observance. In fact, there are states that are still opposed to the holiday and rename the holiday in more general terms. Nevertheless, the third Monday of January is recognized by the federal government as recognition of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., his work, and his impact upon the nation and the world.