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• Each year in the United States, Martin Luther King Day is celebrated on the third Monday of January in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. The holiday was first signed into law by Ronald Reagan in November of 1983, and first observed in 1986. Originally, some states celebrated the holiday under alternate names or combined the day with other holidays. History.com: This Day in History: November 2, 1983 U.S. Census: Facts for Features: Martin Luther King Day

  In a 1964 interview with the BBC News, King said that he believed that the United States would see an African-American president within "less than 40 years". The interview was republished on the BBC WorldNews website on January 19, 2009.BBC: Dr King's Prediction (January 19, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Martin Luther King was born January 15
  2. First celebrated by all 50 states on January 17, 2000Calendar Updates: Martin Luther King Day
  3. First observed in 1986 in 27 states and Washington DCTime Magazine: A Brief History of Martin Luther King Day (January 19, 2009)
  4. In 2009, Martin Luther King Day falls on January 19
  5. Martin Luther King Day celebrated one day before the inauguration of Barack Obama as America's 44th PresidentUSA Today: Where King Preached, Obama's the Word (January 19, 2009)
  6. In 2010, Martin Luther King Day will fall on January 18
  7. Arizona had the 1993 Super Bowl pulled by the NFL because it didn't recognize the holidayNJ.com: Super Bowl Host Arizona Making Up for Lost Time
  8. Legislation suggesting day for Martin Luther King introduced by John Conyers in 1968Time Magazine: A Brief History of Martin Luther King Day (January 19, 2009)
  9. Singer Stevie Wonder was a vocal supporter of a national holiday devoted to King's legacyTime Magazine: A Brief History of Martin Luther King Day (January 19, 2009)

• Day of Action

  In 1994, Congress passed legislation encouraging citizens to observe the holiday as a national day of service. People across the country contribute to their community by volunteering to build homes, read to children, renovate schools, provide meals to homeless people and perform various other charitable acts.MLKday.org: Day of Service Overview

• Martin Luther King Jr. Facts

  1. Born on January 15, 1929
  2. Awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1964
  3. Spouse: Coretta Scott King
  4. Fathered two sons and two daughters
  5. Assassinated at 6:01 p.m., April 4, 1968 History.com: Martin Luther King Jr., Assassination

• Martin Luther King Jr. Quote

  "I am convinced that love is the most durable power in the world. It is not an expression of impractical idealism, but of practical realism. Far from being the pious injunction of a Utopian dreamer, love is an absolute necessity for the survival of our civilization. To return hate for hate does nothing but intensify the existence of evil in the universe. Someone must have sense enough and religion enough to cut off the chain of hate and evil, and this can only be done through love."Calendar Updates: Martin Luther King Day

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Martin Luther King Jr. | Mail Holidays | Coretta Scott King | MLK Assassination | James Earl Ray | Martin Luther King III | Christine King Farris | I Have a Dream | Civil Rights Movement

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