Martin Luther King, Jr., Day
When was Martin Luther King, Jr., Day established?
Legislation making Martin Luther King, Jr., Day a federal holiday was passed in 1983, and the first nationwide observance took place in 1986. Legislation for the holiday had been introduced in Congress in 1968 but initially received enough opposition to block its passage, though states and cities began honouring King’s birthday, January 15, as early as 1970
Almost immediately once King’s death, there have been concerns a holiday in his honour. starting in 1970, variety of states and cities created his birthday, January 15, a holiday. though legislation for a federal vacation was introduced in Congress as early as 1968, there was spare opposition, on racial and political grounds, to dam its passage. In 1983 legislation creating the third Mon in Jan a federal vacation finally was passed, and therefore the initial observance nationwide was in 1986. The day is sometimes celebrated with marches and parades and with speeches by civil rights and political leaders