Martin Luther King Jr Day: History, facts, celebrations, all you need to know about the US federal holiday

The United States observes Martin Luther King Jr. Day on the third Monday in January as a federal holiday. Martin Luther King Jr, a leader in the civil rights movement, is honoured by marking the day. The occasion is observed annually on the Monday closest to his birthday, which falls on January 15. It takes place on January 16 this year. King would have turned 94 years old on Sunday. At the age of 39, Memphis, Tennessee saw the murder of Martin Luther King.Martin Luther King fought for legal equality while also pushing for social and economic advancements for African Americans.Only King, George Washington, and Christopher Columbus are commemorated with holidays in the US, according to the White House.

What is Martin Luther King Jr Day?

The holiday was first honoured on January 20, 1986, after President Ronald Reagan signed legislation establishing it into law in 1983. In 2000, it was first observed by all 50 states.According to Reagan, the holiday is intended to honour King and the righteous cause he stood for. Because Martin Luther King Jr. became the country's preeminent nonviolent leader, Reagan claimed in 1983, that America is a more democratic nation, a more just society, a more peaceful nation. The federal holiday is observed on Monday by public schools as well as banks and stock exchanges. In the 1950s and 1960s, King spearheaded a campaign of nonviolent demonstrations and civil disobedience in the fight to eradicate discrimination, especially racial segregation, in the US.

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Although race was at the centre of this conflict, economic effects were also felt. King intended to emphasise the fact that black people made far less money than white people. Branch said that his long-term objective was to start a Poor People's Campaign, a multicultural initiative to end poverty. King oversaw a peaceful movement. His fervent opposition to America's involvement in the Vietnam War was a result of his strong views in civil rights and non-violence. Throughout his career, King's beliefs and contributions made him progressively less popular. A Gallup survey found that in 1966, 63 percent of Americans had a negative opinion of King, up from 37 percent in 1963. He is now regarded as one of the most respected individuals in the nation.

How is the Martin Luther King Jr Day celebrated?

The Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations at The King Center in Atlanta, headed by his daughter Bernice King, began on Thursday with child and adult summits to inform the public about how to change the US's unfair policies. A 22-foot bronze statue honouring King and his wife, Coretta Scott King, was unveiled by civic organisations in Boston. Local media stories claim that a photo of a civil rights leader embracing the King when King discovered he had won the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize served as the inspiration for the sculpture by Han Willis Thomas. The civil rights activist's church in Atlanta hosted a Sunday service, and President Joe Biden became the first US president to address the gathering. In his remarks, he urged the audience to learn about injustice and extremism from King's life.