A day on, not a day off.
In 1983, Congress and President Ronald Reagan signed a bill that set every third Monday in January as a day to honor the life’s work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Schools, businesses, and federal offices are given a day off to recognize and pay respects to Dr.King’s message of peace and justice. But there is more to the day than just paying homage to the great African-American leader with a tweet or participating in a local march.
Born Michael Luther King Jr. on January 15, 1968, Dr. King came from a great legacy of spiritual leaders. Both his grandfather and father were pastors at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. His faith guided him to excel through high school, Morehouse College, and Boston University,where he earned his doctorate degree. He then moved to Montgomery, Alabama to become the pastor at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. It was at this time that he also was a member of the executive committee of the NAACP and continued to be a strong worker for civil rights for members of his race. He led boycotts, participated in walks, wrote books and articles, and gave numerous speeches. His most famous, of course, being his ‘’I Have a Dream’’ speech that he delivered at the peaceful march on Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963. At 35 years old, he received the Nobel Peace prize and used the prize money to further the civil rights movement.
Dr.King dedicated his life to serving others. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee; where he was to have led a protest the next day. It was after this tragic event that many people began to vocalize the necessity to have a day set aside to honor his legacy. A bill was first introduced to Congress in 1968 but was not given the support it needed. Every year after that, Congressman John Conyers, with the support of the Congressional Black Caucus, continued to reintroduce the bill. In the 1980´s, musician Stevie Wonder began to work with Coretta Scott King and the Congressional Black Caucus to bring the issue to light. They created a petition that gained six million signatures in support of a national holiday to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Finally in 1983, the bill passed and was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. In 1994, President Bill Clinton signed into law the King Holiday and Service Act. This piece of legislation, led by Congressman John Lewis and Senator Harris Wofford, encourages Americans to find common causes and methods of improving their communities. In Congressman Lewis’ words, ‘’a day on, and not a day off.’’
The National PTA believes and supports Dr.King’s message of social justice for all. As quoted from their position statement: ‘’ We stand firmly against racism in all forms and the culture of oppression that permeates the United States. As an association that represents all children, we must listen, educate and advocate beyond rhetoric and rise to correct all inequities and injustices.’’ There is so much more that we can do as a community to not only fight against social injustice, but to bring everyone together and strengthen our relations.
This year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, let us all honor the legacy of a notable figure in the Civil Rights movement with acts of service. Let us teach the children of our Sunfield community that it is our duty and privilege to be able to be of service to others and to fight for the rights of all people in our community.
If you would like to find ways to participate in works of service, please visit the following links: