A Day of Remembrance
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls on the third Monday of every January and is one of the 11 federal holidays of the United States. This year, it was celebrated on Monday, Jan. 20. The day happened to fall on Donald Trump’s inauguration day.
Maclay students had no school this day, and many employees were able to get the day off of work. Post offices, banks, stock markets and other services were closed on this day.
The holiday honors the legacy of King, an American civil rights activist who is famous for organizing nonviolent protests, including the March on Washington in 1963. Additionally, he is honored for his speaking skills, most notably in his “I Have a Dream Speech” speech.
King tirelessly fought for black rights. He was arrested 29 times and assassinated in 1968 at the age of 39.
The wife of King, Coretta Scott King, and singer Stevie Wonder, created a petition that garnered 6 million votes in support of the holiday in 1982. The House of Representatives approved the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in 1983, and former President Ronald Reagen signed it into law the same year.
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