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Cultural and Religious Observances title with an image of a man smiling, a religious stained glass window, a woman wearing a hijab and colorful Indian art made with sand and flower petals

Cultural and religious observances – January 18-24, 2021

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Martin Luther King Jr Day

Culture/religion: National observance
Date: January 18

Photo of Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Photo credit: Library of Congress

The third Monday of each January is dedicated to commemorating the achievements of Martin Luther King, Jr. King advocated the use of nonviolent means to end racial segregation, first coming to national prominence during the bus boycott of African Americans in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. In 1963, King led the March on Washington and was instrumental in the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964. King is considered the most influential African American civil rights leaders of the 1960s. King was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1964.

Sources:

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Encyclopedia Britannica