Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.

On January 19, the nation honors one of history's most important civil rights leaders
On January 19, the nation will pause to remember civil rights hero with a national holiday. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential and respected civil rights leaders of the 1950s and 60s. King inspired the world and helped bring about laws that ensure fairness and equality for all Americans. A firm supporter of bringing about change with nonviolent protest, King's own life ended violently when he was shot on April 4, 1968.



Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke to marchers at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. Aug. 28, 1963.

In the Spirit of King's Dream

All across the country, people will remember King's efforts and honor his legacy. In addition to public ceremonies and commemorative marches, thousands will participate in service projects. Throughout his life, King advocated lifting up the less fortunate and empowering the voiceless by attending to their basic needs: providing food and shelter, teaching them to read. On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, individuals and service groups will conduct food drives, community clean-ups, literacy workshops and more.

To find a project in your area, go to mlkday.gov. The King family, along with many others who champion the rights-leader's legacy, encourage all Americans to make the holiday "a day on, not a day off." That is a notion that would surely please King.