Martin Luther King Jr. Day
A brief history of the national holiday commemorating civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., and the controversy that surrounds it.
Written by Stephanie O.
Who is Martin Luther King Jr.?
In the United States, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed every third Monday of January. The holiday is named and celebrated to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr., also known as MLK, who was an American civil rights activist and minister in the 1950s and 1960s.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil rights activism has left a memorable and permanent impression on American history, especially because of his non-violent involvement in the civil rights movement. In the times of the Jim Crow and post-World War II era, MLK was a leading figure in ushering a new age for racial equality. He is most remembered for his coordination of the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott, his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech during the 1963 March on Washington and receiving the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize.
MLK was the “first modern private citizen to be honored with a federal holiday”, as History.com writes. But the reason why he was granted the honor was that he was assassinated on April 4th, 1968. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed outside his motel balcony by James Earl Ray, a former convict and confirmed racist. Ray pleaded guilty to the assassination in 1969.
Although Martin Luther King Jr. is no longer with us, his work is. His legacy has been honored and continued through activists today. And every third Monday of January, the U.S acknowledges his work through Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The Controversy
MLK Day came to be when John Conyers, a Democratic Congressman from Michigan lobbied for Congress to create a federal holiday in King’s honor just four days after he was assassinated. Year after year, John Conyers persisted with the help of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) until when in the 1980s, the bill that Conyers and the CBC proposed was debated and ultimately passed the following day (78-22). President Ronald Reagan signed the legislation the same day.
However, the signing did not sit well with everyone. King was a controversial figure, and celebrating him and his work as a national holiday didn’t help either. Even though the holiday was first celebrated in 1986, it took until 2000 for every state to observe the holiday, with South Carolina being the last state to recognize it. To add, some states like Arizona and Mississippi celebrate what’s known as “King-Lee Day”, which commemorates Civil War Confederate General Robert E. Lee and King on the same day.
To add insult to injury, King’s character was already up for debate due to the FBI beginning surveillance on King and discovering he had extramarital affairs. The FBI’s surveillance campaign on King also involved wiretaps and bugging his rooms due to FBI director J. Edgar Hoover’s fear that King would align himself with the Communist Party.
So Why Celebrate It?
In 2020 alone, the U.S faced an extreme wave of politically-charged violence and instability. Some attribute this uptick in crime due to the presidential elections. Violent hate crimes and police killings skyrocketed throughout the country, with protests and demonstrations mirroring these statistics. Take June 6th, 2020 for example: when about half a million people turned out in almost 550 places in the U.S to participate in protests.
America is divided, caught in the crossfire of one movement to another. The perpetual struggle continues on from King’s era – the torch has simply been passed from one generation to another. Today, we carry his burdens and the burdens of our ancestors to continue the fight. And this is where we must draw the line. To mark the difference between criticism and absolute acclamation.
Most are aware of America’s current climate. We live in a time of a resurgent movement that seeks to end racial inequality and indifference. And we live in a time where imperfections and mistakes are not taken lightly. We put leaders on pedestals and expect absolute perfection.
There must be a balance of acknowledging someone’s faults and appropriately criticizing them yet also “find value in their contributions”, as the opinion piece writer Dr. Barbara Ransby writes. She also says something that we must realize: “...Dr. King was not a saint nor a savior, but one man embedded in a larger movement that made a powerful impact on this nation and the world.” We should not discredit the work he has done, but understand the full picture of his life and legacy.
How It’s Celebrated Today
This year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day has some adjustments to it due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In California, The First AME Church of Los Angeles will host a special vaccine event to commemorate the day. In Denver, Colorado, thousands of people will march along East Colfax Avenue to start the annual MLK Day Marade (March and Parade).
Internationally, the day is observed in Hiroshima, Japan, due to King’s work as an anti-nuclear activist. Canada is another country that celebrates MLK Day due to King acknowledging the importance of Canada helping slaves find liberation.
However, 2022 has more changes to it. The children of Martin Luther King Jr. are calling for "legislation, not celebration", as one CNN article puts it. His children and extended family members are using this holiday to push for Congress to pass voting rights legislation that oppresses Black and Brown Americans from voting, specifically calling for Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom Vote Act to make voting more accessible.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s life is one that has been praised, smeared, and referenced throughout history. He is a paradigm of the civil rights movement in American history and stands to be one of the most popular individual leaders in modern history. Although his name may be abbreviated, his impact will never be limited to a couple of letters.
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