Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be observed Monday, Jan. 19.
King helped organize the 1963 March on Washington, where he delivered his landmark “I Have a Dream” speech. He also helped pave the way for the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
In 1964, at age 35, he became the youngest person at that point to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
He was assassinated four years later.
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation designating the third Monday in January a federal holiday in honor of King’s birthday. The holiday’s official name is Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.
The Postal Service has issued several stamps honoring King and his work, including a 1979 Black Heritage stamp and a 2005 release honoring milestones in the Civil Rights Era.
