Kara Sears
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed on the third Monday of January each year. The campaign for a federal holiday in King's honour began soon after his assassination in 1968. However, it wasn't until 1983 that federal law was signed recognizing MLK Day, and it wasn't first observed until 1986. President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law, despite his explicit preference for something different.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year the law was signed | 1983 |
| Date the law was signed | 2 November 1983 |
| Name of the law | King Holiday Bill |
| Person who signed the law | President Ronald Reagan |
| Type of law | Federal law |
| Type of holiday | National holiday |
| Date of observation | Third Monday of January |
| First observation | 20 January 1986 |
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What You'll Learn
The bill was proposed by Indiana Representative Katie Hall
The bill to create Martin Luther King Day was proposed by Indiana Representative Katie Hall, a Democrat who served from 1981 to 1984. Hall was the first Black Hoosier to represent Indiana in Congress, and she was also the first Black woman elected to the state senate. She was a politically engaged citizen who had previously campaigned to elect Gary's first Black mayor, Richard Hatcher. Hall was trained as a school teacher and taught social studies in Gary's public schools. She supported education measures, healthcare reform, labor interests, and protections for women while serving in the Indiana General Assembly.
Hall's proposal of the bill to create Martin Luther King Day built upon a 15-year-long struggle to establish a national holiday in honour of Dr. King. Each year since Dr. King's assassination in 1968, U.S. Representative John Conyers had introduced a bill to make Dr. King's birthday a national holiday. Many others joined the growing push to commemorate Dr. King with a holiday, including musician Stevie Wonder and Coretta Scott King, Dr. King's widow. In the summer of 1983, Hall spent time on the phone with legislators to whip votes and successfully led several hearings to measure Americans' support for a holiday honouring Dr. King's legacy.
The bill was first introduced just four days after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination on April 4, 1968. However, it took 15 years of persistence by civil rights activists for the federal government to approve the holiday. The campaign gained momentum in 1980, with Coretta Scott King, the Congressional Black Caucus, and Stevie Wonder amassing a six million signature petition in favour of the holiday. The bill passed in the House with a vote of 338-90 but faced opposition in the Senate from Republican North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms, who attempted to dismiss the legislation by submitting documents alleging that King had communist associations.
On November 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the bill into law, designating the third Monday in January as a federal holiday honouring Martin Luther King Jr. Despite his reluctance to support a paid national holiday, Reagan ultimately acknowledged the importance of symbolically honouring King's legacy. The holiday was first observed on January 20, 1986, and it took an additional 17 years for all 50 states to recognize the day as a paid holiday for state employees.
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Ronald Reagan signed it into law in 1983
The campaign for a federal holiday in honour of Martin Luther King Jr. began soon after his assassination in 1968. However, it took 15 years of activism from civil rights activists for the holiday to be approved by the federal government.
On November 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the King Holiday Bill into law, designating the third Monday in January a federal holiday in observance of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Reagan had previously expressed that he did not support a paid national holiday, preferring a day of recognition. Nevertheless, he signed the bill, which was proposed by Representative Katie Hall of Indiana. The bill passed in the House with a vote of 338-90, and in the Senate by 78-22.
The first federal King holiday was celebrated on January 20, 1986, nearly two decades after his assassination. However, it would take until the year 2000 for all 50 states to adopt the holiday, with New Hampshire becoming the last state to observe its own MLK Day.
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The first observance was in 1986
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on the third Monday of January. The campaign for a federal holiday in King's honour began soon after his assassination in 1968. President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law on November 2, 1983, and it was first observed three years later on January 20, 1986.
At first, some states resisted observing the holiday, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. Official observance in each state's law, as well as federal law, occurred in 2000. The initial idea of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a holiday was promoted by labour unions in contract negotiations. After King's death, Representative John Conyers (a Democrat from Michigan) and Senator Edward Brooke (a Republican from Massachusetts) introduced a bill in Congress.
In 1984, Congress established the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday Commission to coordinate the inaugural observance of King Day and plan its celebrations. The first observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day was in 1986, and it was celebrated with parades and marches, as well as speeches by civil rights leaders and politicians. Individuals and organizations also undertook volunteer efforts in support of what is often called the MLK Day of Service. The national "Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service" was started by former Pennsylvania US Senator Harris Wofford and Atlanta Congressman John Lewis, who co-authored the King Holiday and Service Act. The federal legislation challenges Americans to transform the King Holiday into a day of citizen action volunteer service in honour of King.
By 1986, 17 states had already adopted the holiday. However, there was strong resistance in Arizona to passing a state holiday. The fight between state legislators came to a head when the King holiday was put up for an Arizona voter referendum in November 1990. At that point, entertainers had started boycotting the state in protest, and the National Football League threatened to move the 1993 Super Bowl from Tempe if the holiday was defeated at the polls. The King holiday lost in a two-part voter referendum, and the NFL made good on its threat, taking the Super Bowl to Southern California and costing the state an estimated $500 million in revenue. Arizona voters approved the King holiday two years later.
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It was recognised in all 50 states by 2000
The campaign for a federal holiday in honour of Martin Luther King Jr. began soon after his assassination in 1968. On November 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law. However, it was not until 2000 that Martin Luther King Jr. Day was recognised in all 50 states.
The first celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day took place on January 20, 1986. However, it took 17 years for the holiday to be recognised in all 50 states. In 1986, Arizona Governor Bruce Babbitt created a paid state MLK holiday in Arizona, but his successor, Evan Mecham, reversed this decision days after taking office the following year. In 1990, Arizona voters rejected the King Holiday in a two-part referendum, and the state lost hosting rights for the 1993 Super Bowl as a result.
In 1991, New Hampshire created "Civil Rights Day" and abolished its April "Fast Day", becoming the first state to observe the January holiday. However, it was not until 1999 that the New Hampshire State Legislature voted to name the holiday after Martin Luther King Jr. In 1999, New Hampshire became the penultimate state to name a holiday after King, leaving South Carolina as the last state to recognise the day as a paid holiday for all state employees in 2000.
The King Holiday and Service Act, signed into law by President Bill Clinton on August 23, 1994, designated Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a national day of service, encouraging all Americans to come together to engage in volunteer and service activities to address social issues.
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It's the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday observed annually on the third Monday of January. The campaign for a federal holiday in King's honour began soon after his assassination in 1968. However, it was not until 1983 that President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law, and it was first observed three years later on 20 January 1986. Notably, it was only in 2000 that all 50 states recognised the day as a paid holiday for employees, with some states combining commemorations of King's birthday with other observances.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service. The "Martin Luther King, Jr., National Day of Service" was established by former Pennsylvania US Senator Harris Wofford and Atlanta Congressman John Lewis, who co-authored the King Holiday and Service Act. This federal legislation encourages Americans to transform the holiday into a day of citizen action and volunteer service in honour of King. The legislation was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on 23 August 1994.
Since its inception, the day of service has been coordinated nationally by AmeriCorps, a federal agency that provides grants to organisations facilitating service activities on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. AmeriCorps also promotes volunteer opportunities and resources for individuals and communities wishing to participate in the day of service. The annual Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service, directed by Todd Bernstein, is the largest event in the nation honouring King.
The Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service is a significant opportunity for Americans to actively contribute to their communities and strive towards the Beloved Community envisioned by Dr. King. It is a day when Americans across the country take action to honour King's life and legacy, promoting unity and improved race relations.
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Frequently asked questions
President Ronald Reagan signed the bill in 1983.
Martin Luther King Day is observed on the third Monday of January.
The first celebration of Martin Luther King Day was on January 20, 1986.
Martin Luther King Day is a federal holiday in the United States that honours the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., a prominent civil rights leader who advocated for nonviolent resistance to end racial segregation.
The campaign for a federal holiday in King's honour began soon after his assassination in 1968. Despite facing opposition and a lengthy battle, the bill to establish the holiday was passed by Congress in 1983 and signed into law by President Reagan.
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