Why Do We Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day?
Just days after his death in 1968, Congress introduced a bill intended to recognize his birthday as a national holiday, but it took almost 20 years for the bill to become law. Although King’s ideals were embraced by many, there were certainly those who resisted his call for change, and, after his death, worked against recognizing his many achievements. These groups pointed out the cost to the country (said to be in the billions) of another national holiday on the calendar and questioned why the United States should recognize King over any other well-known person. Yet King’s supporters pressed on, offering up petitions and conducting marches–just the way King would have done things himself–until the bill was signed into law and the first official Martin Luther King Jr. Day was celebrated in 1986. In the state of New Hampshire, the holiday is officially called “Civil Rights Day.” How to Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day Schools across the country take advantage of this time of year
