civil rights – Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary School Library

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed on the 3rd Monday of January as a Federal Holiday in the United States. The day is observed in celebration of Dr. King’s birthday, January 15, 1929. In 2026 MLK Day is observed on Monday, January 21.

As we witness the alarming and horrifying events currently unfolding in the United States, and throughout the world, we are reminded to take inspiration from Dr. King and to cling to hope in his message of transformative non-violent resistance. Those who believe in a world of justice, equality, freedom, and peace, must stand up and demand it.

Martin Luther King Jr. was the leading figure of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s in the USA. In life Dr. King was at the forefront of the fight against segregation, discrimination and other forms of racism, especially as entrenched in state and federal law. Tragically assassinated in 1967, the legacy of King has continued to inspire those who fight against racism and other forms of social injustice.

Martin Luther King Jr. was committed to the principles of non-violence. King was convinced that the only way to fight against the hate and violence and injustice of racsim was to counter it with peaceful resistance and non-violent protest. Perhaps more than anything else, this is why Dr. King is a hero to millions of people in the US, in Canada, and around the world.