Today is Martin Luther King Jr Day. A lot of people enjoy this day because there is no school/work, but here are some interesting facts about the holiday.
MLK day was declared a holiday by then-President Ronald Reagan in 1983, but was first celebrated in 1986. That's not a long time when you think about it. It is one of only 4 holidays that Americans celebrate honoring a specific person. After doing some research, I learned that South Carolina was the last state to recognize the day as a paid holiday for all state employees in 2000. Prior to this, employees could choose between celebrating Martin Luther King Day or one of three Confederate holidays.
MLK Day is in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who was the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement. He protested racial discrimination. He was assassinated in 1968.
Since we are so close to DC, we are lucky that there are many activities and celebrations nearby that we can go to today!
Take a look at this list in the Washington Post. There are lots of marches, parades, speeches, and parties to go check out.
Happy Martin Luther King Day!
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