Today, the United States observes the federal holiday to honor the life and work of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This year, King would have been 91 years old.
According to Quartz, King is only one of three individuals who have a dedicated US national holiday in their honor, the other two being Christopher Columbus and George Washington.
King was a social activist and Baptist minister who played a crucial role in the American civil rights movement.
He was only 39 years old when he was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968. James Earl Ray later pleaded guilty to the charge.
President Ronald Reagan signed the bill designating the third Monday in January as Martin Luther King Day in 1983, to begin the holiday in January 1986.
A recent survey revealed that less than 40 percent of Americans have this holiday day off from work—about the same as Presidents Day.
But whether or not you’re at work today, take a moment to reflect on the philosophy of this great social activist and civil rights leader: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'”Â
