[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 13, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E26]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




A 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''

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 13, 2010

  Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, today I rise to introduce a 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.'' Joining me in this effort is the gentleman from Georgia, 
John Lewis, and I would like to acknowledge him at this time.
  For over 40 years, we have commemorated the life and work of our 
nation's greatest civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 
Since 1986, we have recognized Dr. King with a Federal holiday in his 
honor--a holiday that I worked hard to achieve. As we approach this 
year's King Holiday, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of 
Stevie Wonder's song tribute to Dr. King, ``Happy Birthday,'' I am 
honored to introduce this resolution for a few reasons.
  First, we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for pursuing a dream 
of equality that made our nation a more free and just society. In his 
short life, Dr. King laid the foundation for a society that could live 
up to the ideal that ``all men are created equal.'' It is on the 
shoulders of Dr. King and others at the forefront of the Civil Rights 
Movement, that we are here today, able to acknowledge that much of Dr. 
King's dream has been realized.
  Our 44th President, President Barack Obama, is a testament to Dr. 
King's pursuit and struggle for equality. At his Inauguration, 
President Obama acknowledged that he was a product of Dr. King's 
legacy, when he expressed that the historic day be explained by ``why 
men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in 
celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father 
less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local 
restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.''
  Second, we are able to commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin 
Luther King, Jr. on the third Monday in January every year because of 
the commitment to continue Dr. King's legacy by people like Stevie 
Wonder. Stevie Wonder's 1980 song tribute to Dr. King, ``Happy 
Birthday,'' became a rallying cry for those supporting the campaign to 
honor Dr. King with a Federal holiday. It was that song that led to the 
collection of 6 million signatures in support of a Federal holiday that 
Stevie Wonder and Coretta Scott King presented to Congressional 
Leadership in 1982.
  After legislation providing for a Federal holiday in honor of Dr. 
King had been enacted in 1983, and was first observed in 1986, it was 
Stevie Wonder that headlined a concert during that first official 
commemoration of Dr. King. Significantly, Stevie Wonder's work to 
advance the legacy of Dr. King did not end here. Mr. Wonder went on to 
address such racial and social ills as apartheid in South Africa, 
famine in Africa, and the AIDS epidemic.
  Finally, I introduce this resolution commemorating the life and work 
of Dr. King during this 30th anniversary of ``Happy Birthday'' because, 
while the legacy of Dr. King lives on in Stevie Wonder and so many of 
us, we must realize that we still have work to do to live up to the 
ideal that ``all men are created equal.'' Advancing Dr. King's mission 
of equality means eliminating the disparities that exist in so many 
aspects of our society, like healthcare, housing, employment, and 
education. Advancing Dr. King's mission of peace means encouraging our 
nation to be a peaceful democracy.
  Therefore, it is with this resolution that I ask the people of the 
United States to renew pledges to advance those principles and actions 
that are consistent with Dr. King's dream, those principles of 
equality, freedom, peace, courage, and compassion. Let us allow Dr. 
King to live on in each of us, not just on the third Monday in January, 
but every day.

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