A Quick History of Martin Luther King Jr. And 5 Things to Do on Your Day Off in D.C.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, in the United States, holiday (third Monday in January) honoring the achievements of Martin Luther King, Jr. A Baptist minister who advocated the use of nonviolent means to end racial segregation, he first came to national prominence during a bus boycott by African Americans in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955.

The most influential of African American civil rights leaders during the 1960s, he was instrumental in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination in public accommodations, facilities, and employment, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. King was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1964. He was assassinated on April 4, 19.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a social activist and a Baptist minister. He is famous for his, “I have a dream…,” speech, in which discusses his hope for a United States without racism and segregation. He believed in peaceful protesting, such as his March on Washington. He played an important role in the civil rights movement until he was murdered in 1968.

Every year, Washington DC holds different events to honor his legacy.

Visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

This memorial was put up in 2011 and since it’s located in Washington D.C., you get there using the silver, blue and orange lines on the Metro from the Smithsonian station.

Volunteer for Your Community

The Pope Branch Park Restoration Alliance is hosting a Clean Waterways Cleanup from 10AM-1PM on Monday Jan. 17th. Check here to register and help keep D.C. clean!

Head Over to the Wizards Basketball Game

On your Monday off, you can catch a cheap basketball when you order your tickets here. The Washington Wizards face off against the Philadelphia 76ers at 2PM.

16th Annual MLK Peace Walk

Martin Luther King Jr. was famous for his peaceful way of protesting and his walk to the Lincoln memorial that included nearly a quarter of a million people following. Click here to sign up for the 2-mile walk honoring his vision.

Ice Skating at Washington Harbor

If you just want to relax a bit more, then why not go ice skating on your day off? From 11:30 AM – 11:00 PM, you can experience the D.C.’s largest outdoor skating rink. While it is open every day, it’s also open on holidays! Here’s the address: 3050 K St NW.