History
On Monday, January 18, 2021, Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK Day) will be observed as a federal holiday. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year set under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. President Ronald Regan signed the holiday into law in 1983 but it did not take effect until 1986. However, some states resisted observing the holiday. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.
Many are not aware it took 15 years (1968-1983) for Congress to finally pass legislation for the holiday. It took years for the observance to filter through to every state. Several Southern states promptly combined Martin Luther, King, Jr. Day with holidays that uplifted Confederate leader Robert E. Lee, who was born on January 19. Arizona initially observed the holiday, then rescinded it, leading to a years-long scuffle over whether to celebrate King that ended in multiple public referenda, major boycotts of the state, and a final voter registration push that helped propel a final referendum toward success in 1992. It wasn’t until 2000 that every state in the Union finally observed Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Call to action
While it will be more difficult to provide direct volunteer services in light of COVID-19, there are ways to achieve this. Please consider the following actions:
A Day of Service with SOLVE volunteering downtown Portland on litter cleanup.
Participate in various events around the area.
There are several events planned in the Portland area or virtually:
Angela Davis virtual keynote address, Monday, Jan. 18, 9:30 a.m.
MLK 2021: Awareness in Action. A program of music hosted by the Tigard Library and includes guest speakers as well as members of the Tigard High School Black Student Union.
Take the Challenge. Accept the challenge from Governor Kate Brown to read, “Why We Can’t Wait” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In honor of what this day and what it means, please observe it with the spirit of transforming the King Holiday into a day of learning and citizen action volunteer service.
Sincerely,
Aaron L. Woods
Co-Chair, Wilsonville Alliance for Inclusive Community