Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday, 2020
Citation | 85 FR 3811 |
Record Number | 2020-01164 |
Published date | 23 January 2020 |
Section | Presidential Documents |
Court | Executive Office Of The President |
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 15 (Thursday, January 23, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 15 (Thursday, January 23, 2020)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 3811-3812]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-01164] Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 85 , No. 15 / Thursday, January 23, 2020 /
Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________
Title 3--
The President
[[Page 3811]]
Proclamation 9977 of January 17, 2020
Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday, 2020
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
On August 28, 1963, nearly a quarter of a million
people gathered in the August heat on the National Mall
in Washington, DC, to hear the Reverend Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., speak. People traveled to our
Nation's Capital from places as far away as Atlanta and
Los Angeles to witness one of the defining moments in
American history. On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial,
Dr. King articulated the founding dream of America, the
vision of our Founders for all Americans to live as
``an heir of the legacy of dignity and worth.'' Today,
we pause to honor the incredible life and
accomplishments of Dr. King, who helped shape the Civil
Rights Movement, gave hope to millions experiencing
discrimination, and whose enduring memory inspires us
to pursue a more just and equal society.
Dr. King dedicated his life's work to fighting for the
right of every American to achieve the American Dream.
Born the son of a Baptist minister on Auburn Street in
Atlanta, Dr. King became an American icon and hero to
millions of freedom-loving peoples everywhere,
propelled by his powerful and inspiring message of
peaceful protest and nonviolent resistance. From the
steps of the Lincoln Memorial before thousands to the
quiet solitude of a jail cell in Birmingham, Dr. King
evinced an unshakable commitment to create a better
future, never relenting in his quest for justice.
Since its inception, our Nation has served as a beacon
of hope and opportunity around the world. America's
promise of freedom and justice has guided our people
through adversity to prosperity. Dr. King's life and
legacy stands as a testament to that promise, one
rooted in the inalienable rights of mankind and a
commitment to freedom from persecution. Throughout his
battle against segregation and discrimination, Dr. King
praised his fellow demonstrators for returning ``back
to the deep wells of democracy'' that trace their roots
to our founding. We honor Dr. King's legacy and our
Nation's heritage when we act to protect and expand
freedom and opportunity.
As President, I remain committed to safeguarding the
promise of our Nation and the values we share, the
values that Dr. King so ardently worked to achieve. My
Administration works each day to ensure that all
Americans have every opportunity to realize a better
life for themselves and their families regardless of
race, class, gender, or any other barriers that have
arbitrarily stood in their way. We have seen historic
economic growth, with more than 7 million new jobs
since my election and record highs in African-American,
Hispanic-American, and Asian-American employment.
Through a focused effort of deregulation and growth-
oriented policies, we have unleashed the potential of
the American economy and bolstered the strength of the
greatest workforce in the world, the American
workforce. We recognize that economic opportunity is
the greatest engine for empowering individuals and
families to overcome adversity, and we will continue to
fight for opportunity for all Americans.
On this day, we are reminded of what Dr. King described
as ``our noble capacity for justice and love and
brotherhood.'' As we pay tribute to Dr. King, I urge
all Americans to heed his call to action so that we may
[[Page 3812]]
build the ``Beloved Community'' that he envisioned,
living up to the sacred promise for a better future
woven into the fabric of our American identity.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim January 20, 2020, as
the Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday. On this
day, I encourage all Americans to recommit themselves
to Dr. King's dream by engaging in acts of service to
others, to their community, and to our Nation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
seventeenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twenty, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and forty-fourth.
(Presidential Sig.)
[FR Doc. 2020-01164
Filed 1-22-20; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F0-P