Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day Published Jan. 10, 2018 By Airman 1st Class Benjamin Ingold 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. – Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister, activist and a prominent figure during the American Civil Rights Movement. King gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech to thousands of listeners on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and brought attention to the growing Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed nationwide on Jan. 15, 2018. “The national recurring theme of this holiday is ‘Remember! Celebrate! Act! A day on… Not a day off’,” said Master Sgt. Tanya Wyatt, 20th Fighter Wing Equal Opportunity superintendent. “It calls upon the American people to engage in public service and promote peaceful social change.” President Ronald Reagan signed the law creating the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday Nov. 2, 1983, and it was first observed Jan. 20, 1986. King’s work as a peaceful activist is taught in many schools and he is used as a role model for children. “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was the first person I learned about coming to the United States in the 5th grade,” said Tech. Sgt. Jessyca Boyd, 20th FW noncommissioned officer in charge of Equal Opportunity, and Haiti native. “He was the poster child of the Civil Rights Movement.” King dreamed of a world where people were judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. Although his life ended abruptly, his legacy of public service and non-violent change toward equality lives on. The United States Department of Defense encourages all to take time on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to remember the sacrifices made by King. Any Team Shaw member interested in more information on King or the Civil Rights Movement can visit the McElveen Information and Learning Center at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina.