On January 16, we observe the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King was the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement. He successfully protested discrimination in federal and state laws. He also recognized the power of service to strengthen communities and achieve common goals.
In honor of King’s memory, the National Martin Luther King Day of Service was started by Pennsylvania Senator Harris Wofford and Atlanta Congressman John Lewis, who co-authored the King Holiday and Service Act. The federal legislation was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on August 23, 1994.
The goal of the Act honoring King is to make the holiday a day when people of all ages and backgrounds come together to improve lives, bridge social barriers, and move our nation closer to the “Beloved Community” that King envisioned.
Since its inception, participation in public service projects has grown each year.
In 2009, a record number of Americans honored King and answered then president-elect Obama’s call to service by volunteering on the King Day of Service.
More than 13,000 service projects took place across the country, twice as many as in the previous year. Americans made it “a day on, not a day off” by delivering meals, refurbishing schools, helping older people, reading to children, signing up mentors, and much more.
Email
Follow Us