January 15th Must be a National Holiday

Gold background with green text with an inset photograph of Martin Luther King, Jr. in the center of the button.

A proposal to name a national holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was made four days after his assassination in 1968 by congressman John Conyers. This appeal came as a way to commemorate Dr. King for his contributions to society and was to be observed on his birthday, January 15th.  The bill was introduced yearly but each time failed to gain support to be passed in Congress. By the late 1970s, the legislation gathered more support through signed petitions, endorsement by President Jimmy Carter and a national campaign by King’s widow, Coretta Scott King. The bill would eventually be signed into law in 1983, but only first observed three years later in 1986.