    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 134, 116th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    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

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    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
    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.
    DONALD J. TRUMP