Today’s federal observance of Martin Luther King Jr.

Monday, January 17, 2000

Today’s federal observance of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, the first of this millennium, will mark a time when every state will observe some form of civil rights celebration.

Yet, the lit candles and community marches commemorating the man whose vision brought us all closer together, closer to true humanity, have been long in the making.

Michigan Democrat Rep. John Conyers introduced legislation just four days after King’s slaying to create the national holiday. Fifteen years later, in 1986, the first celebration was held.

For decades afterward, celebrities, lawmakers and King’s family strived to get the holiday observed across the entire nation.

Now, the focus is on how today is celebrated.

The King family and others are encouraging that, instead of taking time off to shop or sleep late, we should take the day as one in which to remember, look ahead and give back.

What better way to celebrate the life of someone who helped us all to forge ahead into the dream that all races and cultures can indeed work together to make this planet a better place than by volunteering, helping the less fortunate or looking out for our neighbors.

The theme for Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2000 is ”Remember! Celebrate! Act! A Day On, Not A Day Off!”

We should all take that to heart.