History of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

POSTED: 11:22 AM PST Jan 12, 2012 UPDATED: 09:54 AM PST Jan 14, 2013

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Observed on the third Monday of January each year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day has only recently been a holiday for all the people, all the time. Read on to learn more about the complicated history behind this special holiday.

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The bill faced a tougher fight in the Senate. Rep. Senators East and Helms led an opposition campaign, attempting to emphasize King's associations with communists and his alleged sexual flings as reasons not to honor him with a federal holiday.

History of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

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