How a bill becomes a law: The story of the MLK holiday

An important element in creating new laws in the United States of America is direct democracy - the involvement of the public. Public pressure on elected representatives to act on a particular issue can play a substantial role in a bill becoming a law. Furthermore, history has shown that when an issue gains support from a leading public figure who can garner coverage by the media, favorable public awareness toward the issue can be raised even further, resulting in government leaders being more inclined to respond with legislative solutions.

This was the case for a bill marking the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A yearslong organized public awareness campaign coordinated with the support of a celebrity finally led to the bill being signed into law. But the journey to that triumph took over fifteen years, and the first steps were undertaken just days after the tragedy of Dr. Kingâ€s assassination. TeachRockâ€s classroom lessons and distance learning pack explores the history surrounding the creation of the national holiday. Through that exploration, students identify the basic organization of the U.S. Government and examine the constitutional process to create laws in the U.S.

In the immediate aftermath of Dr. Kingâ€s murder on April 4th 1968, U.S. Representative John Conyers of Michigan introduced the Conyers King Holiday Bill in the House of Representatives. Submitted four days after Kingâ€s death, the legislation sought to establish a federal holiday to honor the slain civil rights champion; however, Representative Conyers†bill languished in congressional committees for years. Finally, in 1979, the Conyers†bill was voted on in Congress but fell five votes shy of passage. By exploring this history while examining documents outlining the process to enact legislation, students determine that a law begins as a bill introduced by a member of Congress, either a Representative or a Senator. 

Undaunted by the failure of Conyers†bill, the King Center in Atlanta, led by Dr. Kingâ€s widow Coretta Scott King, continued to lobby for a national holiday. They were soon joined by a powerful ally, musician and songwriter Stevie Wonder. Wonderâ€s acclaimed work and career could command media attention. In 1980, Wonder channeled his discontent with opposition to the holiday into “Happy Birthday,” a song that completely reimagined the traditional song and featured lyrics celebrating Dr. Kingâ€s peaceful mission. Here students recognize that, outside of the constitutional process, the creation of new laws often requires strong advocacy by groups, activists, and the public at large.

“Happy Birthday” became an international hit in 1981 and an anthem for the campaign. This direct democratic action brought greater exposure to the MLK Holiday campaign and raised public awareness, resulting in growing public support of enacting the new law. By the end of 1982, the King Center had gathered six million signatures on their petition in support of federal legislation to establish a Dr. King federal holiday. Mrs. King and Mr. Wonder presented the signed petition to Massachusetts Congressman Tip Oâ€Neill, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

A new bill, House Resolution (H.R.) 3706, authored and sponsored by Representative Katie Hall of Indiana, was submitted to the 98th Congress on July 29, 1983.  Although it was met with opposition in both the House and Senate, a bill “to make the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., a legal public holiday” passed both chambers of Congress. 

On August 23, 1994, President Bill Clinton signed the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday and Service Act of 1994, which gave additional significance to the Holiday. Advocated for by Coretta Scott King, it pledged “to support the planning and performance of national service opportunities in conjunction with the Federal legal holiday honoring the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.” Reflecting on the new law, students are asked to draft an essay explaining how they would spend their King Day of Service.