Happy Martin Luther King Day 2023 With Its Interesting History

Here are some important and historical facts that are related to Martin Luther King Day and the struggles that were made for the approval of this bill of King’s holiday in the United States of America. Just keep reading and know interesting facts about the Holiday you are going to celebrate as 2023 MLK Day.

• Who Gave the Idea of a National Holiday?

Just after Martian Luther King’s assassination in 1968, the idea came into being that it must be celebrated as a federal holiday. That was approved and implemented after martian’s death, by United Stated Republican Senator, Edward Brook, and United State Democrat Representative, John Conyers introduced a bill in Congress to consider Martian Luther King’s Birthday as a national holiday.

• Voting for Approval of Holiday

In 1979, in the United States House of Representatives, the bill appeared for voting and it fell five votes short of the number needed. 

• Arguments by Its Opponents 

The opponents raised two main arguments for the approval of this bill. 

• To make sure that the holiday will be a paid holiday for all federal employees and that’s why it will be too much expensive for being paid.  

• It would be contrary to the traditions to consider a private citizen’s (who had never had a public office) birthday as a federal holiday just to honor him.

• How it Gained Six Million Signatures?

One decade after the failure of the bill which was introduced by Representative John Conyers in 1979. Stevie Wonder in September 1979, released a song called “Happy Birthday”. That song was specially made for the case of that holiday and for calling out all of those who didn’t support the idea. The results were amazingly memorable that after the release of that song, there were more than Six Million signatures supporting the idea and for the petition to Congress to pass the law. But President Ronald Reagan came into office in 1981 and he originally opposed the king’s birthday as a national holiday. 

• King’s Holiday and Vietnam War 

Moreover, the opposition was also shown by the Senators of North Carolina Republicans, John Porter East, and Jesse  Helms opposed the idea and bill of the king’s holiday. They also raised the question that whether King Luther Martin was enough important to receive such an honor. In addition, they also criticized King’s opposition to the Vietnam War. 

• Approval of Federal Holiday

In 1983, on the 2nd of November, Reagan signed a bill that was presented by Representative Katie Hall of Indiana. Which was purposed to create a federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King. The bill was observed for the very first time in 1986, on 20th January. Initially, some states resisted observing the holiday only in the year 2000 was it officially observed in all 50 states for the first time. Hence the very first holiday was celebrated in 1986, on the 20th of January. Which is almost 18 years after the idea and introduction of the original bill in the year 1968.