The Martin Luther King Holiday

Federal law designates the birthdays of only two Americans as national holidays -- George Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The birthdays of Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and others are celebrated in some states, but not nationwide. Worldwide, Dr. King joins Mahatma Gandhi, in India, and precious few other social leaders honored with a holiday. In most countries, such honors are reserved for military, religious or political leaders.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday was created by an act of Congress signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on Nov. 2, 1983. The first official national observance of Martin Luther King Day took place on Jan. 20, 1986. On that day, Martin Luther King Day became the first new national holiday created since Memorial Day in 1948, and just the third of the last century. The other being Veterans Day, originally created as Armistice Day in 1926.

The first bill creating a day to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was introduced in Congress by Rep. John Conyers (D-Michigan, 14th), just four days after the assassination of Dr. King on April 4, 1968. Today, Rep. Conyers is serving his 21st term as a Member of the House of Representatives.

During its trip through Congress, the Martin Luther King holiday bill faced the same arguments traditionally used to oppose national holiday designation -- cost to taxpayers and a reluctance by politicians to "single out" one American over others. Sadly, it also faced a largely unspoken factor Dr. King had dedicated his life toward fighting -- racism.

Sen. Jesse Helms (R-North Carolina), who had labeled Dr. King a "communist," led a vigorous opposition to the creation of the holiday. However, in 1970 petitions signed by more than 6 million people in support of the holiday were received by Congress, bolstering Rep. Conyers and Rep. Shirley Chisholm (D-New York), to resubmit the legislation in every session of Congress until its passage in 1983.

Photo courtesy of National Archives and Records

Also See:
Dr. Martin Luther King Photo Album (African American History)
Coalition Calls for New Civil Rights Bill