Today we honor the birthday of the late great civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. Dr. King was born on January 15, 1929 (so he would have been 82 today). The holiday of MLK Day is observed on the third Monday of January.

Legislation for a holiday honoring Dr. King was first introduced shortly after his assassination in 1968, but it wasn’t until 1983 that the legislation was passed and the holiday signed into law (by President Ronald Reagan). Observation of the holiday was controversial for a time, but in 2000 it was officially observed in all 50 states.

If you’re not at work, we hope that you are enjoying the day off. If you are at work, check in with us from time to time — we will be publishing today (although less than usual) — and feel free to complain in the comments about who or what has dragged you into the office today.

If you’re looking for something to do, you can use today for public service. Look up service projects in your area at MLKDay.gov. (Alas, for those of us in New York City, the opportunities seem to be limited.)

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service [MLKDay.gov]

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day [Wikipedia]

The History of Martin Luther King Day [Infoplease]