[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1010 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1010

Celebrating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the 
30th anniversary of the Stevie Wonder song tribute to Dr. King, ``Happy 
                  Birthday'', and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 13, 2010

Mr. Conyers (for himself, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Smith of Texas, Mr. 
 Sensenbrenner, Mr. Nadler of New York, Ms. Jackson Lee of Texas, Mr. 
Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Gonzalez, Mr. Scott of Virginia, and Mr. Cohen) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                            on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Celebrating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the 
30th anniversary of the Stevie Wonder song tribute to Dr. King, ``Happy 
                  Birthday'', and for other purposes.

Whereas the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was properly captured 
        in Dr. King's most famed speech, ``I Have A Dream'', on August 28, 1963, 
        when he said, ``I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and 
        live out the true meaning of its creed: `We hold these truths to be 
        self-evident, that all men are created equal''';
Whereas beginning with the Montgomery Bus Boycott on December 1, 1955, Dr. King 
        led protests, demonstrations, rallies, freedom rides, sit-ins, vigils, 
        all in non-violent fashion, to combat hate, inequality, and racial 
        injustice in the United States;
Whereas following the end of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1956, Dr. Martin 
        Luther King Jr. and others, including Dr. Ralph Abernathy, formed the 
        Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957 to promote civil 
        rights and to bring an absolute and nonviolent end to segregation;
Whereas the efforts of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and those that joined him in 
        the civil rights movement resulted in the enactment of the Civil Rights 
        Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 
        1968;
Whereas several U.S. Supreme Court cases decided during the era of the civil 
        rights movement, like Browder v. Gayle (352 U.S. 903 (1956)), Boynton v. 
        Virginia (364 U.S. 454 (1960)), and Heart of Atlanta Motel Inc. v. 
        United States (379 U.S. 241 (1964)) were consistent with the work of Dr. 
        King and others to eradicate segregation and discrimination and deem 
        such practices unconstitutional;
Whereas Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. received the Spingarn Medal in 1957 and the 
        Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, distinctions that were given to him at the 
        young ages of 28 and 35, respectively, for the selflessness and 
        dedication he exhibited in advancing civil rights;
Whereas the life and work of Dr. King, to advance justice, equality, and peace 
        for the entire human race, ended prematurely, when he was assassinated 
        on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, while challenging the 
        inequitable wages and treatment of Memphis sanitation workers;
Whereas Martin Luther King, Jr., was survived by Coretta Scott King, an activist 
        in her own right, and 4 children, 2 sons and 2 daughters, who would also 
        continue the fight for civil rights and equality;
Whereas 4 days after the assassination of Dr. King, on April 8, 1968, 
        Representative John Conyers, Jr. introduced legislation to recognize Dr. 
        King with a Federal holiday that coincided with the great civil rights 
        leader's birthday, January 15, 1929;
Whereas the campaign to secure a Federal holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther 
        King, Jr. lasted 15 years, with the 1980 Stevie Wonder song tribute to 
        Dr. King, ``Happy Birthday'', solidifying the campaign's success;
Whereas Stevie Wonder dedicated his album sleeve for ``Hotter Than July'', an 
        album released on September 29, 1980, and upon which ``Happy Birthday'' 
        is recorded, to Dr. King, with an inscription that read, ``[Martin 
        Luther King, Jr.] showed us, non-violently, a better way of life, a way 
        of mutual respect, helping us to avoid much bitter confrontation and 
        inevitable bloodshed'';
Whereas Mr. Wonder also wrote on his album sleeve for ``Hotter Than July'' the 
        following, ``We still have a long road to travel until we reach the 
        world that was [Dr. King's] dream. We in the United States must not 
        forget either his supreme sacrifice or that dream'';
Whereas Stevie Wonder encouraged the establishment of a Federal holiday in 
        recognition of Dr. King on his album sleeve for ``Hotter Than July'' by 
        expressing that, ``I and a growing number of people believe that it is 
        time for our country to adopt legislation that will make January 15, 
        Martin Luther King's birthday, a national holiday, both in recognition 
        of what he achieved and as a reminder of the distance which still has to 
        be traveled'';
Whereas the song, ``Happy Birthday'', became a rallying cry, which led to the 
        collection of 6,000,000 signatures in support of a Federal holiday in 
        honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which Stevie Wonder and Coretta 
        Scott King presented to Congressional Leadership in 1982;
Whereas ultimate enactment of legislation designating the third Monday of 
        January as a Federal holiday in observance of Dr. Marin Luther King, Jr. 
        was realized on November 3, 1983, when such legislation was signed into 
        law;
Whereas the first Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal holiday was observed on 
        January 20, 1986, and celebrated with a concert headlined by Stevie 
        Wonder, who has, in the years since, continued his commitment to 
        promoting peace and equality, for which he has been recognized with a 
        Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Civil Rights Museum in 
        Memphis, Tennessee;
Whereas the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is continued today, as 
        evidenced by the work of organizations like the National Association for 
        the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Southern Christian 
        Leadership Conference, which is currently led by Dr. King's daughter, 
        Bernice King, and was at one time led by Dr. King's son, Martin Luther 
        King, III;
Whereas today, the very mission of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference 
        states, ``In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Southern 
        Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) is renewing its commitment to 
        bring about the promise of `one nation, under God, indivisible' together 
        with the commitment to activate the `strength to love' within the 
        community of humankind''; and
Whereas in addition to organizations, the legacy of Dr. King continues on today 
        with people in the United States and throughout the world, with 
        individual acts of compassion, courage, and peace: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) celebrates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, 
        Jr. during the 30th anniversary of the Stevie Wonder song 
        tribute to Dr. King, ``Happy Birthday'';
            (2) recognizes that the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, 
        Jr. continues on with commitments to freedom, equality, and 
        justice, as exhibited by Stevie Wonder and so many others; and
            (3) encourages the people of the United States to 
        commemorate the legacy of Dr. King by renewing pledges to 
        advance those principles and actions that are consistent with 
        Dr. King's belief that ``all men are created equal''.
                                 <all>