Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Today we honor and remember Martin Luther King Jr. as he was a vital force for promoting justice who linked arms with his neighbors to transform our communities. His profound legacy lives on and his teachings on courage and unity serve as a universal tool and inspiration to all of us.Born in 1929, King's actual birthday is January 15 (which in 1929 fell on a Tuesday). The holiday is similar to holidays set under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. The earliest Monday for this holiday is January 15 and the latest is January 21.King was the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. The campaign for a federal holiday in King's honor began soon after his assassination in 1968. President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed three years later. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time