On the third Monday of every January, the United States celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day, also known as MLK Day. This day celebrates the life and goals of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights leader, whose work in fighting racism and bigotry still affects people today. Since 2000, decades after his assassination in 1968, all 50 states in the United States of America have celebrated MLK Day.
Many people choose to use MLK Day as a special day to learn about Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement in America, or to take action themselves. No matter how you’d like to pay tribute to this leader, Williamson Forward has ideas to share.
Learning
The Modern Civil Rights Movement is a period of time in the mid-twentieth century marked by demonstrations by black Americans for racial equality to be enshrined constitutionally. While Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a major name in the Modern Civil Rights Movement, he’s not the only name to know. Others such as Rosa Parks and Malcom X also played roles in the movement, and organizations like the Black Panther Party, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and the NAACP all played significant roles in the movement. To learn more about these names and organizations, and the significant moments of the movement, visit thoughtco.com here and loc.gov here.
If you’d like to become even more active in learning and preserving history, the Smithsonian Institution and Library of Congress are both seeking volunteers to help transcribe significant historical documents. Click here for information on the Smithsonian and here for more information on transcribing for the Library of Congress.
Finally, if you’re looking for opportunities to learn and volunteer, Americorps has information on volunteering during MLK Day.
Martin Luther King Day is a great day to take the time to learn and volunteer. You’ll find more information about Dr. King, his work, and other volunteer opportunities at www.thekingcenter.org
