Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day – A Day On, Not a Day Off

  • Published
  • By SSgt. Karen Johnson
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Equal Opportunity
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  The third Monday of January is a federal holiday honoring of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the holiday. The theme is "Remember! Celebrate! Act!" The observance was enacted by Congress in 1986 to commemorate Dr. King's commitment and struggle for social change. It is a day for all Americans to reflect on racial equality.

Influenced by theologians, philosophers and ideological leaders like Gandhi, Dr. King's leadership focused on non-violent activism to remove unjust racial barriers and eliminate social evils. His struggle for equality was not won without sacrifice.

The first major campaign of the Civil Rights Movement began in Montgomery, Ala., with the year-long boycott of city busses in response to Rosa Parks' arrest following her refusal to give up her bus seat to a white passenger. However, boycotting Montgomery busses was not without peril or cost. Dr. King organized carpooling and travel for 17,500 former bus riders. For his efforts, Dr. King received threatening letters and phone calls, was arrested twice and his home was bombed. Through adversity, Dr. King continued to preach non-violent resistance. The Montgomery boycott successfully ended when the Supreme Court ruled Alabama's transportation laws were unconstitutional.

The importance of the non-violent campaign in Alabama laid the framework for further successful campaigns aimed at desegregation and equal rights throughout the South. Grassroot boycotts sprung up in Birmingham and Mobile, Ala., and Tallahassee, Fla., as community leaders embraced Dr. King's vision and message. Sit-in demonstrations, Freedom Rides and marches began as united adults and youths protested non-violently; many of these activists were arrested, beaten and some were even killed. Many Americans were deeply affected by Dr. King's work and began to advocate change on a national level.

In 1964 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act with Dr. King in attendance. Dr. King's protests in Selma, Ala., also led to the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. On April 4, 1968, Dr. King was assassinated, ending his life but not his dream for racial equality.

Each year, we honor his memory and sacrifice by reflecting on the Civil Rights Movement that won respect and fair treatment for all Americans regardless of race. This year Barksdale AFB will join together to commemorate Dr. King's life and legacy. For more information regarding this year's events, contact 2nd Lt. Jamila Evans at jamila.evans@barksdale.af.mil.