History

Martin Luther King Day, as a federally legal and observed holiday, was signed into law in 1983. It was first observed, as the third Monday in January, in 1986. By 1989, 44 states recognized the day with legislation. In 1993 only New Hampshire was left without honoring Dr. King's holiday. In 1994 Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act as a national day of volunteer service. It is a day of community service, interracial cooperation, and youth anti-violence initiatives. Finally, in 1999 all states had enacted legislation for the King Holiday.

The first symposium on the University of Michigan campus was held in 1987. Each year, faculty, students, staff, academic units, and community members develop programs and initiatives to remember and continue the legacy and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. However, it wasn't until the year 1998 that the MLK Children & Youth Program first began and provided local K-12 students the opportunity to join the efforts of the adults. Since that time the School of Education and the School of Social Work, in collaboration with other campus organizations, have continually strove to better benefit students and their communities each year by steadily building the program into what it is today.

The MLK Children & Youth Program celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by providing a day of activities and events designed specifically for children and teens in grades K-12. Throughout these memorable years, these activities have been filled with fun, creativity, dialogue, and entertainment and included storytelling, guided discussions and group projects, skits, rap poetry, and various musical performances. The program is facilitated by capable adults, many of whom are professional educators, youth workers, or students in the School of Education who have experience working with children or who are preparing to become teachers.

Since its beginning in 1998, the MLK Children and Youth Program has attracted more than 9,600 K-12 student participants from school communities throughout southeastern Michigan. Once again, the School of Education, School of Social Work, and the Office of Academic and Multicultural Initiatives invite all K-12 students throughout the southeastern Michigan communities to participate in another MLK Children & Youth Program to celebrate and commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.