Celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

  • A smiling Martin Luther King, Jr. participates in a meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Washington, DC, January 18, 1964. LBJ Library photo by Yoichi Okamoto
    A smiling Martin Luther King, Jr. participates in a meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Washington, DC, January 18, 1964. LBJ Library photo by Yoichi Okamoto

Martin Luther King, Jr. is a Georgia-born, Nobel Peace Prize-winning civil rights hero and minister. He is commemorated annually around his birthday - January 15 - with a national holiday on the third Monday in January.

It is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service by Congress. The holiday commemorates King’s efforts to achieve racial equality. Fifty-five years after his assassination in 1968, King is still remembered as an activist, civil rights leader, and a wordsmith that dedicated his life to achieving equality for people of all color. Throughout his years of public service, King wrote and delivered speeches with his most notable one being his 1963 “I Have a Dream” address that provided wisdom and hope for so many. His impact is still felt today as the nation looks to his legacy for strength, kindness, and courage in his words.

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” King Jr. said at his 1960 address at Spelman College.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day provides an opportunity to educate and discuss racial equality and for people of all color to learn from history and reflect. As a National Day of Service, all Americans are encouraged to volunteer and take action to improve their communities. Over the years, MLK Day of Service has grown as more Americans embrace the idea of taking active roles in improving communities.

AmeriCorps invites everyone on “Monday, January 16 and the days surrounding to engage with your community and create constructive actions, act on Dr. King’s legacy of social justice and equity and recommit by volunteering to serve others.”

AmeriCorps has ideas for anybody wanting to help in their local community.

“You can clean up a public space, mentor ayoungperson or help those who are food insecure. Together, we can strengthen ties to our communities and one another while we address critical issues that divide us.”