A Dream that Continues Today In January, our nation recognizes
the birthday of one of the most visible advocates of nonviolent
and direct action for social change, Martin Luther King, Jr.
(MLK). Dr. King was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 15,
1929. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day became an official federal
holiday on November 2, 1983, when President Ronald Reagan signed
the bill passed by Congress. Over the next eight years, states
began recognizing the federal holiday as a holiday as well. In
1994, in keeping with Dr. King’s legacy of advocacy and
assistance for others, Congress designated the Martin Luther
King, Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service, making
it the only federal holiday so observed. The MLK Day of Service
is a featured part of United We Serve
(http://www.serve.gov/index.asp), the President’s call for
Americans from all walks of life to work together to toward
solutions to our most pressing national problems. The national
holiday celebration occurs on the third Monday in January.