On August 28th 1963, thousands of people gathered at the Lincoln to listen to the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.
King delivered his iconic “I have a dream” speech on the steps of the monument amid a tumultuous time for black people in America and fought for their rights in peaceful ways.
The third Monday in January is set aside to honor the voice of the people, to coincide with his birthday, which is on January 15th. The holiday was first signed into law in 1983 and was first observed on January 20th of that year.
The words of MLK continue to ring true all these years later, as many men and women of color continue to voice their mistreatment in many ways. In the eyes of many, Dr. King’s dream has yet to come true.
In honor of MLK Day, all federal offices are closed, there is no mail delivery and some financial institutions may also be closed today.
