Martin Luther King Day

"You know it doesn't make much sense
There ought to be a law against
Anyone who takes offense
At a day in your celebration
Cause we all know in our minds
That there ought to be a time
That we can set aside
To show just how much we love you
And I'm sure you would agree
It couldn't fit more perfectly
Than to have a world party on the day you came to be

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday

I just never understood
How a man who died for good
Could not have a day that would
Be set aside for his recognition
Because it should never be
Just because some cannot see
The dream as clear as he
that they should make it become an illusion
And we all know everything
That he stood for time will bring
For in peace our hearts will sing
Thanks to Martin Luther King

Why has there never been a holiday
Where peace is celebrated
all throughout the world

The time is overdue
For people like me and you
Who know the way to truth
Is love and unity to all God's children
It should be a great event
And the whole day should be spent
In full remembrance
Of those who lived and died for the oneness of all people
So let us all begin
We know that love can win
Let it out don't hold it in
Sing it loud as you can

We know the key to unify all people
Is in the dream that you had so long ago
That lives in all of the hearts of people
That believe in unity
We'll make the dream become a reality
I know we will
Because our hearts tell us so." ~ The 1981 "Happy Birthday" song by Stevie Wonder.

This song was the final trump card of all those in favor of dedicating a day in the remembrance of the great African-American hero, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., champion of the Civil Rights Movement in America. The efforts to establish a federal holiday commemorative to King, Jr. was initiated by the first black person to adorn the chair of House Judiciary Committee, John Conyers, soon after the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.. However, it took a decade and a half more to realize this dream of all African-Americans, when in 1983, President Ronald Reagan finally succumbed and passed the law, declaring the 3rd Monday of every January as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The first Martin Luther King Day was fêted on 20th January, 1986. Today all 50 states of the United States of America observe this day in unison, in honor of all the accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr., organizing special events, such as Martin Luther King Day parade, service, and activities. Following are the special activities and customs that people of America have adopted over the years for him who had questioned racial disparity and defined justice for many.

Martin Luther King Day Parades
It had taken the signatures of 6 million people to get the government to dedicate a day for King Jr. Today it is one of the four public holidays recognized by the US Government, which are consecrated to an individual. Parades are organized in numerous cities around the US. In Los Angeles the Kingdom Day Parade starts from the Martin Luther King Boulevard and goes on to Leimert Park at about 10.30 am. The entire event is telecast and includes spectacular float shows, marches, drill presentations and special appearances and performances by celebrities. The parade generally is followed by special gospel services, in the memory of Luther King who was a Reverend and an immensely religious man. Martin Luther King quotes hold witness to his deep belief in the power of God to uplift the plight of the socially downtrodden. This service also sees a discussion of the famous "I have a dream" Martin Luther King speech, along with live music. Food stalls are set up by local vendors around the service area.

The themed annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in Baltimore commencing from Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard at Eutaw Street, Manhattan's Fifth Avenue grand parade traveling from the 61st to the 86th street in New York City, the Annual MLK Jr. Parade in Savannah, Georgia and the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in Washington DC beginning from Ballou High School on Fourth Street moving along Martin Luther King Avenue, are all magniloquent shows held in the memory of the great man. The duration of these parades vary from city to city. It can be anything from two and a half hour parades to five-hour long extravaganzas as in the case of New York. A lot of activities are included in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations along with the parades.

Martin Luther King Day Activities
Martin Luther King Day parades are most often conjoined with activities such as blood donation campaigns (as arranged by the Savannah Observance Day Association, Inc.), health fairs, community services, such as alms collection as well as distribution of homemade food and other amenities in hospitals and slum areas, as organized by the Jewish Community Center in New York.

Human interest documentaries which deal with the suffering and survival of races strewn all over the globe, are screened in many places along with schools organizing special visits to museums as well as orphanages, homes for the disabled and old age homes on this day. Martin Luther King Day services in Atlanta involves volunteers spending the day with under privileged kids, tending to their physical and mental needs and also renovating their schools and surroundings. Many people also gather at churches and libraries, with their young ones, for sermons and elaborate discussions on the principles of Martin Luther King as demonstrated by him during his lifetime. Excerpts from his books are also read out in some places with analytical speeches delivered by scholars and followers of King's ideals.

Nowadays various communities club various activities and services and schedule it in and around the actual Martin Luther King Day, wherein events take place throughout preceding week and the weekend, now addressed as the Martin Luther King week.

So, from the days when people by the likes of Jesse Helms, then Senator of North Carolina) had questioned whether sanctioning an entire day for a man who never held an American office to the day in the year 2000 when Utah, Virginia and South Carolina becoming the last states to accept the 3rd Monday of every January as the officially paid holiday dedicated to human rights fighter Martin Luther to Japanese Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor of Hiroshima, hosting a feast in King's honor, Martin Luther King Jr. Day has certainly come a long way. It is a very special day for Americans, evident from the magnitude of the events arranged. No more restricted to only the black community, all citizens of America, today join hands to seek courage and wisdom from the man who envisioned a unified world with an evolved human kind, a world sans the shackles of racism and narrow-mindedness. In fact, it is this very message of King's, regarding one world which enables anybody, no matter a citizen of which country to adopt Martin Luther King Day and celebrate the victory of humanity.