For the past 27 years, America has celebrated the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. on January 15. We also celebrate by observing a national holiday on the third Monday in January. School, banks, federal offices, and post offices are closed in his honor.
Stevie Wonder singing the best ever version of the "Happy Birthday" song:
Dr. King sought to unite a divided nation at a time when it seemed impossible. His nonviolent approach, inspired by Mohandas Gandhi, inspired people of all religions, ages, and national origins to fight for peace and equality for all mankind. On August 28, 1963, King led the now famous March on Washington where he delivered his epic "I have a Dream" speech. King's distinctly profound voice and unique ability to speak with precision motivated a nation to work united in our journey towards change. You can watch King's speech here. The text of the speech is here.
King's efforts to help African Americans earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in October of 1964. He donated his award money to the civil rights movement.
King was assassinated on April 4, 1968 by escaped convict James Earl Ray. Check out Walter Cronkite's coverage of the assassination:
In 1986, a national holiday was created in King's honor. Today would have been King's 81st birthday. You can watch snippets from one of the saddest days in American history here.
In honor of Dr. Kings significant contributions to the world, you are encouraged to take a moment and reflect on the impact he has had on our world. On January 18, there will be a national day of service to "improve lives, bridge social barriers, and move our nation closer" according to MLK.gov. It is considered a "day ON" and not a "day OFF." To find out about opportunities to volunteer in your area, visit MLKDay.gov Last year, on the Tuesday following King's birthday our nation celebrated the inauguration of our first black president, Barack Obama. 
I believe we can all learn something from Dr. King. We celebrate him today and everyday. In the words of Dr. King "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." One day, King's dream will come true.
Happy Birthday!
Be Young;
Be Professional;
Be Great!
Source: MLK.gov
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