On the third Monday in January of each year, we celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Born in Atlanta Georgia on January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King, Jr. was destined to become the most well-known civil rights activist in the United States. In the 1950s and 1960s, he led non-violent protests fighting for civil rights for all citizens.
King was a skilled orator and charismatic leader who believed in peace, justice, equality, and activism. In 1957, he, along with other prominent civil rights leaders, established the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a national organization that promoted civil rights reform. Through these efforts, King played an essential role in the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the end of segregation in the Southern states. King is widely known for his 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech and for winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
MLK Day of Service
“Life’s most urgent question is: What are you doing for others?”
In 1983, MLK Day became a federal holiday, and in 1994, Congress deemed it as a “national day of service.” The Corporation for National and Community Service promotes MLK Day as “a day on, not a day off” where citizens can honor Dr. King’s legacy by participating in service projects in and around their communities. The purpose of this initiative is to provide a way for citizens to unite, converting Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dreams for America into reality.
Interested in participating in MLK Day of Service? Click here to locate a volunteer project in a community near you. Already have a service project planned? Tell us about it in the Comments!