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“Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!” exclaimed Martin Luther King in a powerful speech on April 3, 1968. As if he knew it, the activist was assassinated in the early hours of the next day by James Earl Ray, who shot him as he stood on the balcony of his Memphis hotel.
At 39, King had led hundreds of marches, achieved historic legislative gains for African Americans and delighted millions with his eloquent rhetoric. He devoted each of his days to pursuing a single goal: that his four little children would one day live in a nation where they “will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Casi 55 años después, la visión del Dr. King dio grandes pasos hacia la igualdad de oportunidades entre negros y blancos, pero, por sobre todas las cosas, esa visión se materializó en uno de sus pilares fundamentales, la igualdad ante la ley. A pesar de que lamentablemente existan personas racistas en los Estados Unidos, son la excepción a la regla. Ya no existe un racismo y una discriminación institucional, como si existió en las páginas de las leyes de Jim Crow.
The election of Barack Obama as president (twice) and a picture of the current Congress could be evidence enough of social change. In the words of former President Bill Clinton, the historic activist would be “pleased” with the progress of the United States.
As a reminder of his message, Martin Luther King Day has been celebrated every third Monday in January since 1986. Although declared a national holiday, the idea was to celebrate the man by doing everything but staying home. It is a day meant to help others, filled with service and volunteerism. The tradition took root in another famous King quote, “What are you doing for others?”
The History Behind Martin Luther King Day
Some states, such as Illinois, were ahead of the country and instituted the holiday a bit earlier. In 1979, in an effort to unite all 50 stars in celebration, Representative John Conyers (D-MI) and Senator Edward Brooke (R-MA) introduced a bill.
Despite the enthusiasm, the bill fell short by five votes in the Lower House. The reasons? Opponents cited the economic cost of the holiday and doubts about a national holiday for a private citizen (who never held public office). President Ronald Reagan himself looked askance at the national holiday option, adding to the concerns of the first group.
The King Center took advantage of the momentum to rally more citizen and business support for their cause. Six million signatures and Stevie Wonder were enough for Capitol Hill to decide to take up the legislation again.
The singer composed the song “Happy Birthday” to lobby the Senate. “I just never understood how a man who died for good could not have a day that would be set aside for his recognition,” he sang with widow Coretta Scott in 1983.
That same year, the bill, now authored by Katie Hall, passed the House 338-90 (242-4 in the House Democratic Caucus and 89-77 in the Republican Caucus). The Senate voted on October 19 by a favorable 78-22 (41-4 in the Democratic Caucus and 37-18 in the Republican Caucus). With both margins exceeding the floor for a veto, Reagan took the presidential pen and signed the bill into law, which took effect in 1986, along with King’s family members.
“We are here today to honor a man who dedicated his life to the pursuit of a dream. And now, we´ll sign the proclamation honoring the 59th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr.´s birth,” the president said at the White House.
Of course, not all states were pleased with the holiday, so they appealed to combine this new holiday with other holidays. This ended in 2000, when South Carolina became the last state to recognize the day as a paid holiday for all state employees.
This January 16, 2022, all 50 states once again celebrate the legacy of Dr. King, whose ideas, while booming in the 1960s, can be found in a much older document. In his famous 1963 speech Martin Luther King stated, “I have a dream,” he dared to remind Americans of a phrase written in the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
Joaquín Núñez es licenciado en comunicación periodística por la Universidad Católica Argentina. Se especializa en el escenario internacional y en la política nacional norteamericana. Confeso hincha de Racing Club de Avellaneda. Contacto: [email protected] // Joaquín Núñez has a degree in journalistic communication from the Universidad Católica Argentina. He specializes in the international scene and national American politics. Confessed fan of Racing Club of Avellaneda. Contact: [email protected]