On the recordJanuary 14, 2019
One week from today, our Nation celebrates the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tomorrow is Dr. King's birthday. He would be turning 90 if his life wasn't violently cut short in 1968. Madam Speaker, it was November 3, 1983, when President Ronald Reagan signed a bill to mark the third Monday of every January as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The holiday officially began 3 years later. Born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, Dr. King was the son of a Baptist minister. He went on to receive his own doctoral degree in theology. Dr. King was a powerful orator, and his talents were on full display when he delivered his famous ``I Have a Dream'' speech in 1963. 250,000 people gathered outside the Lincoln Memorial to hear his speech, which peacefully called for the end of racism. It is still regarded as one of the most influential moments in American history. Madam Speaker, I am thankful for all that Dr. King did to advance the civil rights of all Americans, and I am honored to commemorate his life and legacy. ____________________
