"Love is the greatest force in the universe. It is the heartbeat of the moral cosmos. He who loves is a participant in the being of God."
Observed federally since 1986, the holiday occurs on the third Monday of January, which this year happens to be King's actual birthday. Born in 1929, the prominent civil rights leader would have been 95. Further, this year marks the 60th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act and King's Nobel Peace Prize. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated to honor his legacy and monumental contributions to the American Civil Rights Movement. It is a day to reflect on and promote equal rights, justice, and social harmony.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture is a phenomenal resource to explore a more in depth understanding of the history, present day challenges, achievements, and cultural collections of African American throughout history.