[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 119, 109th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 7862--JAN. 14, 2005
Proclamation 7862 of January 14, 2005
Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday, 2005
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was a visionary American and a dedicated
leader who believed deeply in liberty and dignity for every person. His
faith and courage continue to inspire America and the world. We honor
his life and his work.
Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, Dr. King witnessed firsthand the
injustice of a segregated society. He realized that change was necessary
to ensure the full promise of our Constitution for all Americans, and
his charismatic leadership awakened the conscience of America.
Dr. King's dream inspired our Nation with what he called ``a certain
kind of fire that no water could put out.''; Since Dr. King's
involvement in the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s,
Americans have witnessed the power of the law to prevent injustice and
encourage the finest qualities of our Nation. Last year, we celebrated
the 40th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Once this landmark
legislation was signed into law, Americans could no longer be denied a
room in a hotel or a table at a restaurant because of their race.
Our Nation has accomplished much over the past 40 years. Our journey
toward justice and equality has not always been an easy one, and it is
not over. However long the journey, our destination is set: liberty and
justice for all. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., believed in the good that
exists in all men and women. We will remember the work of Dr. King as we
continue striving to meet the founding ideals of our great Nation.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Monday, January 17, 2005,
as the Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday. I encourage all
Americans to observe this day with appropriate activities and programs
that honor the memory and legacy of Dr. King.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of
January, in the year of our Lord two thousand five, and of the

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119 STAT. 3696

Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
ninth.
GEORGE W. BUSH