Mid-January, schools across the nation teach children about the “I Have a Dream” speech and discuss the groundbreaking impact it had on the Civil Rights Movement. This famous man is Martin Luther King Jr. The leader of the Civil Rights Movement was born on Jan.15, 1929, however, the federal holiday celebrating him is observed on the third Monday of January.
This discrepancy may be because MLK Day is a federal holiday, first approved as such in 1983. Through the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, Congress made the decision to celebrate certain holidays on Mondays. The Act affected federal holidays including George Washington’s birthday, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day and Veterans Day. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the change is intended to give workers a certain number of three-day weekends throughout the year. Although long weekends are a comfort to most, some believe that those holidays should be celebrated on the actual dates rather than just a Monday, creating a backlash.
Others are not concerned about what day of the week we celebrate this holiday since the sentiment is the same.
“As long as [MLK Jr.] gets to be honored, it’s okay,” said QO junior Alex Knights. “[The holiday] is significant to me because it’s my history, culturally.”
Likewise, QO senior Liam Lamphier sees the value in celebrating this important day.
“We celebrate our heritage and celebrate the hero that King was,” said Lamphier.
King, who was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi and activist Bayard Rustin, believed in nonviolent resistance to racism and discrimination. In his “I Have a Dream” speech, King advocated for a world in which his children would not be treated any differently based on the color of their skin, a message that is still resonant today.
Although he was an extremely influential and courageous leader of the modern Civil Rights Movement, not everyone agreed with his beliefs. King was imprisoned in 1963 for taking part in nonviolent protests against segregation, and was assassinated five years later in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was participating in a sanitation workers’ strike. King is celebrated because of his tireless work to improve the lives of African-Americans.
According to the Corporation for National & Community Service, MLK Day is the only federal holiday in which Americans are encouraged to volunteer in their communities. So while Jan. 20 may seem like just another day off, remember the significance of this fearless leader who was not afraid to speak up in the face of injustice.
Article by Zoe Bell of Quince Orchard High School