The bill to make Martin Luther King Jr.\u2019s birthday a national holiday was first introduced to Congress in 1979. It didn\u2019t pass. One argument against the bill was the cost. The second argument was that King wasn\u2019t worthy of a holiday. At the time, the only two people recognized with a holiday were George Washington and Christopher Columbus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That first bill may have died, but the drive to establish MLK Day didn\u2019t. You know that version of \u201cHappy Birthday\u201d that always pops out when Black people are celebrating? That song was written and produced by Stevie Wonder. He released it in the summer of 1981 as part of the campaign to make MLK Day real. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Six million citizens signed the petition for MLK day. President Reagan initially opposed the bill, but approved the bill in 1983. Though King\u2019s birthday is January 15, MLK day is always on the third Monday of January. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Happy birthday to you, Martin Luther King, Jr. MLK Day is January 16th this year. Check the links below for MLK events happening around the state of New Mexico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n