fˈɔːɹmɚ dˈɛnvɚ fˈɜːst lˈeɪdi ænd stˈeɪt sˈɛnəɾɚ wˈɪlmə wˈɛb lˈɛd ðə səksˈɛsfəl mˈuːvmənt tʊ ɐdˈɑːpt mˈɑːɹtɪn lˈuːðɚ kˈɪŋ, dʒˌeɪˈɑːɹ. dˈeɪ æz ɐ stˈeɪt hˈɑːlɪdˌeɪ, lˈɔŋ bᵻfˌoːɹ ɪt bɪkˌeɪm ɐ fˈɛdɚɹəl hˈɑːlɪdˌeɪ.
Former Denver First Lady and State Senator Wilma Webb led the successful movement to adopt Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a state holiday, long before it became a federal holiday.