ADP Campuses Prepare for an MLK Day “On”

By Stephanie South, Program Associate, AASCU

As we prepare to head into the weekend (and out of D.C. to avoid the beautiful but chaotic mess of tourists that are already invading the Mall for the upcoming Inauguration), there is a brief moment of respect to be offered to the day ahead.

It is worth taking pause on this Friday afternoon not only to consider the impending and most glorious display of our democracy—a peaceful transition or, in this case, continuation of power and leadership—but to appreciate the man Monday is intended to honor.

In 1983, legislation was signed to create a federal holiday marking the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  The federal holiday was first observed in 1986.

In 1994, Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, designating the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service and charged the Corporation for National and Community Service with leading this effort. Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the MLK Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service—a “day on, not a day off.”

During the upcoming week, American Democracy Project member campuses across the country will eat pancakes in the name of peace at the 22^nd Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Peace Breakfast (@ Metropolitan State University of Denver), watch a film entitled “Citizen King” (@ Texas A&M University Central Texas), and celebrate each day with various speakers and at service events (@ Weber State).

As our schools and students begin to gear up for a day off but also a day on, we encourage you to stick with love and spread the word about your institution’s MLK Day programming.

Look for another blog post next week highlighting MLK Day activities and asking for you to share your day with us. Send us your photos!