Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Remember, celebrate, act

  • Published
  • Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) -- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered as America’s preeminent advocate of nonviolence and a leader of the Civil Rights Movement.

In sermons and speeches, King’s voice rang out with a call for us to work toward a better tomorrow. He challenged us to live up to the ideals enshrined in our founding documents – that we are all created equal, endowed with unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The Department of Defense recognizes that freedom, equality and inclusion are true force multipliers and imperative to the national defense and the strength of our nation.

In 1995, Congress designated Martin Luther King Jr. Day as the first and only federal holiday observed as a national day of service. Congress charged the Corporation for National and Community Service with leading this national effort.

The MLK Day of service is a way to channel King’s life and teachings into community action.

King once said, “Everyone can be great because everybody can serve.” Observing MLK Day through service continues the DoD’s mission of fostering change and building communities.

Each year, on the third Monday in January, DoD joins the nation in honoring the life and legacy of King by making the holiday a day of community service – “A Day On, Not A Day Off.”

Americans answer the call to action by serving their neighborhoods and volunteering their time to make a positive difference in their communities. The men and women of the DoD honor King by living up to the standard he set. Together they ensure his legacy lives on, and as one DoD family, rise up to meet today’s challenges.


Visit https://www.nationalservice.gov/serve-your-community/mlk-day-service for more information on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and to find volunteer opportunities.