Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday, 2020

Citation85 FR 3811
Record Number2020-01164
Published date23 January 2020
SectionPresidential Documents
CourtExecutive 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
                

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