Monday, January 21, 2013

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2013

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivers his
"I Have a Dream" speech in Washington D.C.
Via Library of Congress
Today, January 21th, is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a federal holiday in the United States that commemorates the birthday of civil right activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. King's actual birthday is January 15th, and the holiday takes place every third Monday in January.

Dr. King was the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement, which protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. The campaign for a federal holiday in King's honor began soon after his assassination in 1968. President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed on January 20, 1986. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. The holiday was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.

To learn more about Dr. King's life and legacy, the library will be hosting a moderated discussion of his book Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? with Dr. Henry Grubb of the University of Dubuque. The discussion will be held February 20th at 7:00 p.m.. Copies of the book are available for checkout at the Circulation Desk.

You can also check out this selection of books from the library's collection, or click through to the websites listed below:

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