Martin Luther King, Jr. (born in 1929) was a leader in American civil rights for 13 years. Through nonviolent protest, he helped to promote racial equality in the United States from December 1955 until his assassination on April 4, 1968.
Later in 1968, Dr. King's wife, Coretta Scott King, founded the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change. Mrs. King dedicated the center as a "living memorial" to continue Dr. King's work of addressing social ills around the world.
Dr. King's accomplishments and his teachings, which drew on the Bible and the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, are studied by scholars and students internationally. Public facilities around the world bear his name, showing his profound impact. In addition:
In 1968, shortly after Martin Luther King died, a bill was introduced in Congress to make his birthday a national holiday. The bill was not voted into law at that time, but its passage became an ongoing campaign. After 15 years and a supporting petition with six million signatures, Ronald Regan signed the King holiday bill into law.
Because his January 15th birthday was so close to other national holidays, the law set the date of celebration as the third Monday in January rather than the actual date of the 15th. Martin Luther King Day was first observed in 1986. By the year 2000, every state observed it as a national holiday.
Because the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., is a relatively new federal holiday, there are few longstanding traditions. Some educational establishments mark the day by teaching about King's work and the ongoing struggle against racism.
Though named in the law as "Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.," this holiday is also known by other names like "Martin Luther King Day." In some states, Dr. King's birthday is combined with other days, such as Civil Rights Day, Human Rights Day, and Robert E. Lee's birthday.
In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday as a day of service. This is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service—"a day on, not a day off."
Businesses and local governments can honor Dr. King by encouraging their employees to serve their communities. On this day, people of different races should work together in citizen action groups to address serious social needs.
Turn to the Black history pages to see Congressional Gold Medals that have been awarded to these civil rights leaders, who lived at the same time as Dr. King:
Travel in the Time Machine to visit Montgomery, Alabama, in 1956. There you'll experience the bus boycott for civil rights and learn about many more leaders in this struggle.
Here are some related activities you can use in your classroom.
Martin Luther King Jr. (kuzaliwa 1929), alikuwa kiongozi wa haki za kiraia nchini Marekani kwa miaka 13. Kwa njia ya maandamano yasiyo ya vurugu, alisaidia kukuza usawa wa rangi nchini Marekani kuanzia Desemba 1955 hadi alipouawa Aprili 4, 1968. Mwaka 1968 mkewe, Coretta Scott King, alianzisha shirika la Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change. "Bibi King aliweka kituo hicho wakfu kama ""kumbukumbu hai"" ili kuendelea na kazi ya Dk King ya kushughulikia magonjwa ya kijamii duniani kote." Mafanikio ya Dr. King na mafundisho yake, ambayo yalitegemea Biblia na mafundisho ya Mahatma Gandhi, yanachunguzwa na wasomi na wanafunzi kimataifa. Vifaa vya umma ulimwenguni pote vinaitwa kwa jina lake, ikionyesha uvutano wake mkubwa. Mwaka 1968 baada ya kifo cha Martin Luther King, Dk. wa Marekani, sheria ilifanywa ili siku ya kuzaliwa kwake iwe sikukuu ya taifa. Muswada huo haukupitishwa kuwa sheria wakati huo, lakini kupitishwa kwake kukawa kampeni inayoendelea. Baada ya miaka 15 ya maandishi ya wito wa kuunga mkono na saini milioni sita, Ronald Reagan alisaini sheria ya likizo ya Mfalme. Kwa sababu siku ya kuzaliwa kwake ya Januari 15 ilikuwa karibu sana na sikukuu nyingine za kitaifa, sheria iliweka tarehe ya sherehe kama Jumatatu ya tatu ya Januari badala ya tarehe halisi ya tarehe 15. Siku ya Martin Luther King ilisherehekewa kwa mara ya kwanza mwaka 1986. Kufikia mwaka 2000, kila jimbo lilikuwa likisherehekea siku hiyo kama sikukuu ya kitaifa. Kwa kuwa siku ya kuzaliwa kwa Martin Luther King, Jr., ni sikukuu mpya ya serikali, kuna mapokeo machache ya muda mrefu. Taasisi fulani za elimu huadhimisha siku hiyo kwa kufundisha kuhusu kazi ya King na mapambano yanayoendelea dhidi ya ubaguzi wa rangi. "Hii ni siku ya kuzaliwa kwa Martin Luther King Jr. na pia inaitwa ""Martin Luther King Day.""" Katika baadhi ya majimbo, siku ya kuzaliwa kwa Dk King huunganishwa na siku nyingine, kama vile Siku ya Haki za Kiraia, Siku ya Haki za Binadamu, na siku ya kuzaliwa kwa Robert E. Lee. Mwaka 1994, Bunge la Marekani lilitangaza siku ya Martin Luther King Jr. kuwa siku ya ibada. Hii ni sikukuu pekee ya shirikisho inayoadhimishwa kama siku ya kitaifa ya huduma - "siku moja, si siku ya kupumzika". Kampuni na serikali za mitaa zinaweza kumheshimu Dk King kwa kuwatia moyo wafanyakazi wao kutumikia jamii zao. Siku hii, watu wa jamii tofauti wanapaswa kufanya kazi pamoja katika vikundi vya hatua za raia ili kushughulikia mahitaji makubwa ya kijamii. "Kama vile ilivyo katika kitabu cha ""Black History,"" tutachukua hatua ya kuelezea jinsi mashujaa wa haki za kiraia walioshirikiana na Dr. King walipoanza safari ya kusafiri kwa mashine ya wakati kwenda Montgomery, Alabama, mwaka 1956." Huko utapata uzoefu wa kupiga marufuku basi kwa haki za kiraia na kujifunza juu ya viongozi wengi zaidi katika mapambano haya. Hapa kuna baadhi ya shughuli zinazohusiana ambazo unaweza kutumia darasani mwako.