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"A Day On, Not A Day Off"
April 8, 1968: Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich. submits the first legislation proposing King's birthday as a holiday, four days after King was assassinated. Jan. 15, 1969: About 1,200 automotive-plant workers in North Tarrytown, N.Y., stay home from work in observance of King's birthday. Sixty were suspended and others threatened with disciplinary action. March 25, 1970: Rep. Conyers and Rep. Shirley Chisholm, D-N.Y., announce hearings to study the holiday issue after petitions carrying six million signatures are submitted to Congress.  It was said to be the largest petition drive in history.  Reps. Conyers and Chisolm resubmit the legislation to make Dr. King’s birthday a national holidayApril 10, 1970: California is the first state to pass legislation making King's birthday a school holiday.July 15, 1970: The Seattle School Board designates King's birthday as a school holiday starting in 1971. Also, state Rep. George Fleming begins hearings to make the date a legal state holiday. January 1981: In two incidents, six workers are fired from Seattle's Todd Shipyards after distributing leaflets to support the holiday. 1983 marks the 20th anniversary of Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speechAug. 2, 1983: House of Representatives approves legislation, 338-90, making Dr. King's birthday a national legal holiday the third Monday in January beginning in 1986. Oct. 19, 1983: There are defying efforts by Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., to sidetrack legislation. Helms claims that Dr. King had communist ties. The Senate eventually approves the measure 78-22.

Nov. 2, 1983: Legislation for the national holiday is signed by President Ronald Reagan. Feb. 24, 1984: Washington State Legislature approves the state school holiday. Sept. 11, 1984: Seattle City Council makes the third Monday in January a holiday for city employees to mark King's birthday. Jan. 20, 1986: The first observance of his birthday as a legal holiday nationwide.

Reasons for Controversy and OppositionThere were some arguments against this holiday.  One was that there would be a large cost to taxpayers because of no work on that day.  Some estimated that the cost to the government for this holiday could be up to eight billion dollars.  Many also wondered why we should single Dr. King out?  There were arguments made for Albert Einstein, JFK and Abraham Lincoln, and many women’s organizations pushed the U.S. to celebrate Susan B. Anthony.  An Irish-American constituency even joined in the discussion, arguing that St. Patrick’s Day should be an official national holiday.To pass this legislation, Republicans and Democrats had to agree to support it. Support was not granted until Rep. Katie Hall from Indiana proposed a new deal that moved the proposed holiday to the third Monday of January, away from Christmas and New Year’s, making it a three day weekend. This would also typically put it after Super Bowl Sunday.

So why is MLK Day so special?
Because of the surrounding controversy, it took two decades to make it a holiday.  It is also the first new holiday since 1948, when Memorial Day was declared the national “day of prayer for peace”, and the third declared holiday of this century, the other being Veterans Day, in 1926 to remember the veterans of WWI.Dr. King is the only other American besides George Washington with a holiday for his birthday, and globally, he is one of the few social leaders to be honored with a holiday. Mahatma Gandhi is another. Most holidays are reserved for military or religious leaders.

It is not a religious or patriotic day, but stands to bring together all people by encouraging the crossing of social boundaries.