History of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

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

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.

Stevie Wonder
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Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

Singer Stevie Wonder became an advocate and released the song "Happy Birthday" in 1980, which became a rallying cry. The House then passed the bill with a vote of 338 to 90.

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