День Мартина Лютера Кинга (English. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) - American national holiday, state day off, dedicated to African American rights activist, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Martin Luther King. The holiday is celebrated annually on the third Monday of January and is timed to coincide with King's birthday 15 January.
For a long time, some states did not recognize Martin Luther King Day as a national holiday and an additional paid day off, or combined it with other holidays., so King's name was not in the name of the holiday. The holiday was finally established throughout the United States only in 2000 year.
History
Martin Luther King was killed 4 April 1968 of the year, and just four days later, Democratic Representative John Conyers (John Conyers) introduced a bill, in which it was proposed to make King's birthday a national holiday. The bill was in the profile committee for several years and was not accepted for consideration. Throughout this period, actions of trade unions were held in support of giving the day the status of a holiday. IN 1971 a petition was presented to Congress, which was signed 3 000 000 human, but Congress still did not consider the bill. Several dozen bills were submitted to Congress in the 1970s, many of which were authored by Conyers. For the first time, a bill to establish a national holiday for Martin Luther King Day was put to a vote in 1979 year. Keeping your campaign promise, he was supported by US President Jimmy Carter. As a result, the project was rejected, less than five votes to the required two-thirds majority of the total number of members of the House of Representatives. Opponents in particular criticized the project for high costs, which will cause the introduction of an additional day off, and for creating an undesirable precedent for establishing a national holiday in honor of a citizen, never held public office.
IN 1980 year famed black soul singer and African American rights activist Stevie Wonder recorded the song "Happy Birthday", entirely dedicated to the campaign in support of the holiday. IN 1982 King Center, founded by his widow Corretta Scott King and actively campaigned around the bills, received a major donation from The Coca-Cola Company, Miller Brewing Company and several other corporations. IN 1983 year, the bill finally successfully passed both houses of Congress and 2 november 1983 of the year was signed by President Reagan. For the first time, Martin Luther King Day was celebrated 20 January 1986 of the year.
