Today, we celebrate and remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Less than a handful of public figures have earned a public holiday named in their honor. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., known for his positive civil rights movements, was assassinated in Memphis, TN on April 4, 1968. Four days later, Representative John Conyers proposed establishing a holiday in his honor. Eleven years later in 1979, the federal holiday came up for a vote on the House of Representative’s floor. However, the bill was five votes shy of passing.

In 1983, the bill again came up for a vote. After finally passing, President Ronald Reagan signed the bill to mark King’s birthday as a federal holiday. King was born on January 15th in Atlanta, Georgia in 1929.

By year 2000, all 50-states acknowledged the date in state government to officially make it a government holiday.

Today, the holiday honors the legacy of King; focusing on civil rights; highlighting nonviolence to promote change for the positive and calling on individuals to volunteer in public service.

Marches for King:

Typically on this day, marches are held all around the country to remember the Civil Rights Leader. But, due to the COVID Pandemic, marches are not taking place. In fact, cities like Murfreesboro are not the only locations that have seen the cancellation of Martin Luther King marches. CBS News Correspondent Wendy Gillette reports…

Now through April 3rd of this year (2021), the VIRTUAL MLK Exhibition will be a part of the Bradley Academy Museum and Cultural Center in Murfreesboro (415 S. Academy St.). This "virtual" event was created as a way to showcase student art inspired by the teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr.  

I Have a Dream:

Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered on August 28th, 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.: