*Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2018 *

**Remarks on Signing a Proclamation Commemorating the Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday, 2018 **

*January 12, 2018 *

*The President.* I want to thank Secretary Carson, along with Isaac Newton Farris, Jr., and the many distinguished guests for joining us here today. It's a great honor.

Earlier this week, I had the tremendous privilege to join Isaac and Alveda to sign into law legislation redesignating the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Park. The new law expands the area to protect it and historic sites for the future generations of Americans—are becoming so important. And this is a great honor for us and a great honor to Dr. King.

Today we gather in the White House to honor the memory of a great American hero, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King, Jr., was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He would go on to change the course of human history.

As a young man, Dr. King decided to follow the calling of his father and grandfather to become a Christian pastor. He would later write that it was "quite easy for me to think of a God of love, mainly because I grew up in a family where love was central." That is what Reverend King preached all his life, love: love for each other, for neighbors, and for our fellow Americans.

Dr. King's faith and his love for humanity led him and so many other heroes to courageously stand up for civil rights of African Americans. Through his bravery and sacrifice, Dr. King opened the eyes and lifted the conscience of our Nation. He stirred the hearts of our people to recognize the dignity written in every human soul. Today we celebrate Dr. King for standing up for the self-evident truth Americans hold so dear, that no matter what the color of our skin or the place of our birth, we are all created equal by God.

This April, we will mark a half-century since Reverend King was so cruelly taken from us by an assassin's bullet. But while Dr. King is no longer with us, his words and his vision only grow stronger through time. Today, we mourn his loss, we celebrate his legacy, and we pledge to fight for his dream of equality, freedom, justice, and peace.

I will now sign the proclamation making January 15, 2018, the Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday and encourage all Americans to observe this day with acts of civic work and community service in honor of Dr. King's extraordinary life—and it was extraordinary indeed—and his great legacy.

Thank you, God bless you all, and God bless America.

And with that, I'd like to ask a great friend of mine, Secretary Carson, for remarks. Then, we're going to be signing the very important proclamation. Thank you very much.

Ben.

*Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Benjamin S. Carson, Sr.* Thank you, Mr. President. It's an honor to be here today celebrating this solemn occasion. And I thank you for signing legislation to designate the birthplace, church, and tomb of Dr. Martin Luther King as a National Historic Park. [*Secretary Carson made brief remarks, concluding as follows.*]

*Secretary Carson. *This year, we will not remember his slaying as the ending, but as a beginning, as a moment when his truth rose stronger than hatred, and his cause larger than death; as a moment when he called to new life with his Creator, before Whom all men shall one day stand in equal rank bearing with them no riches, but the content of their character.

If we keep this conviction at the center of our every word and action, if we look upon out countrymen as brothers with a shared home and a common destination, then instead of meaningless words rolling off of our tongue, we will truly create one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

And we're going to have a word from Pastor Isaac Newton Farris, the nephew of Dr. Martin Luther King.

*Isaac Newton Farris, Jr.* President Trump, Vice President Pence, and to all assembled here: If my uncle were here today, the first thing he would say is, "What are we or what are you doing for others?" And that's why it was so important that my aunt Coretta Scott King returned to the Congress, now about 10 years ago, and asked that the meaning of the holiday be changed.

[*Mr. Farris made brief remarks, concluding as follows.*]

*Mr. Farris. *Bottom line: You're doing something that benefits someone other than yourself. That's the proper way to remember my uncle and the proper way to celebrate the King holiday.

So, President Trump, thank you for taking the time to acknowledge this day. Thank you for remembering that we're all Americans and, on this day, we should be united in love for all Americans.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

*The President.* This is a great and important day. Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday 2018, by the President of the United States of America, a proclamation. Congratulations to him and to everybody. Thank you.

[*The President signed the proclamation.*]

NOTE: The President spoke at 11:38 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to Alveda C. King, niece of Martin Luther King, Jr. The transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also included the complete remarks of Secretary Carson and Mr. Farris.

*Categories:* Addresses and Remarks : Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday, signing the proclamation*.*

*Names:* Carson, Benjamin S., Sr.; Farris, Isaac Newton, Jr.; King, Alveda C.

*Subjects:* Civil rights : Civil rights movement ; Civil rights : Racial equality; Georgia : Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Park in Auburn; Holidays and special observances : Martin Luther King, Jr., Day; Housing and Urban Development, Department of : Secretary.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201800023.