[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]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 85 , No. 15 / Thursday, January 23, 2020 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 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