When is MLK Day 2024? Details to know about federal holiday on Monday
Monday marks Martin Luther King Day, a federal holiday many people have off. Schools are off as well.
It's also a day when many may reflect on the civil rights leader and his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. It is one of the most famous speeches and was delivered at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. More than 200,000 people were reported to have watched it by the end.
These days, some organizations are inspired to use the day to do service projects for their communities.
Here is a closer look at what to know about Martin Luther King Jr. and the day in El Paso.
Is Martin Luther King a federal holiday?
Yes, it is a federal holiday. All city of El Paso and El Paso County offices will be closed.
Are banks open on Martin Luther King Day?
No, banks will be closed.
Martin Luther King Day 2024 celebration
The Martin Luther King Jr. Committee of El Paso invites the community to its celebration and observance at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14, at Mount Zion Baptist Church, 3400 Wyoming Ave. The theme is "It Starts With Me: Spreading Hope, Courage and Unity." The guest speaker is Rabbi Ben Zeidman of Temple Mount Sinai. The event is free.
The McCall Neighborhood Center, 3231 Wyoming Avenue, will have its Annual Day of Service Luncheon at noon Monday, Jan. 15. The keynote speaker will be El Paso attorney Ouisa D. Davis. In lieu of purchasing a ticket, attendees are asked to bring two cans of non-perishable goods. Two hundred tickets will be distributed. Information: GreggDDavis@yahoo.com
The El Paso High School Girl Scout Troop 65904 will have a day of service by hosting a cleanup from 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Jan. 15, at the Billy Rogers Arroyo. Garbage bags and work gloves will be provided in the El Paso Tennis & Swim Club parking lot, 2510 N. St. Vrain St. The area that needs the most cleaning is the top edge along Robinson Avenue, around Ochoa and Virginia streets.
When did Martin Luther King die?
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968. His assassination led to an outpouring of anger among Black Americans, as well as a period of national mourning that helped speed the way for an equal housing bill that would be the last significant legislative achievement of the civil rights era, according to History.com
Martin Luther King I Have a Dream
The "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered on Aug. 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Most people remember certain lines of the speech:
"Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.
So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
The speech, however, is several minutes long. To read the entirety of the speech, go to www.npr.org
What did Martin Luther King Jr. do?
Martin Luther King Jr. was a social activist and Baptist minister who played a key role in the American civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. King sought equality and human rights for African Americans, the economically disadvantaged and all victims of injustice through peaceful protest.
He was the driving force behind watershed events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 1963 March on Washington, which helped bring about the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act.
Source: www.history.com
Are schools closed on Martin Luther King Jr.
El Paso Community College will not offer services except for online registration for current students at Self Service Banner) on Monday, Jan. 15. The holiday coincides with the beginning of the spring 2024 semester. The first day of classes is Tuesday, Jan. 16.
Canutillo, Clint, El Paso, Fabens, San Elizario and Socorro independent school districts will be closed for the holiday, as will Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso and the University of Texas at El Paso.
Doña Ana County administrative offices will close Monday, Jan. 15. First responder services will not be affected and regular business hours will resume for all county operations at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16.
All La Fe clinics, facilities and the La Fe Preparatory School will be closed on Monday, Jan. 15.
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María Cortés González may be reached at 915-546-6150; mcortes@elpasotimes.com, @EPTMaria on Twitter; eptmariacg on TikTok.
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This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Martin Luther King Jr Day: federal holiday details for Monday
