Though we will all enjoy the day off on January 15, it is important to remember that this is a significant day tied to the triumphs of one of the greatest human rights activists of this century. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is celebrated on the third Monday of every January to commemorate the birthday of civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. However, the holiday has its own backstory that is important to recognize on this day, along with every other day.

 Despite the overwhelming success of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement, not everyone was overjoyed at the new changes in legislation. It is for this reason that the first MLK day was not celebrated until 1986, despite King having been assassinated in 1968. The effort to recognize King was lead by his wife, Coretta Scott King, who gathered over a million signatures on petitions advocating for this holiday. Despite this, the holiday was not recognized nationwide until 2000.

 However, these dates also fall around two other figures’ birthdays: Robert E. Lee, born January 19, and Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson, born January 21. These two men fought for the opposite of what King did, with Lee as Commander of the Confederate army and Jackson as a General of the Confederate army. This ironic circumstance creates an intense debate centered in states such as Alabama, who celebrate both Robert E. Lee and Martin Luther King, Jr. on the same day. Up until 2000, Virginia celebrated Lee-Jackson-King Day, and Arkansas celebrated Lee and King on the same day until last year. Regarding the situation, senior Nia Wilson said, “Celebrating these different views on the same day shows that even though slavery was emancipated and segregation was abolished, there are still some people with that mentality. It makes people realize that less than 100 years ago, we were segregated and movements like the Civil Rights Movement were in effect.”

 These holiday mashups are especially timely considering the recent events in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the arguments about the place of Confederate leaders historical representation in today’s world. Even more ironically, before the passing of the bill in Arkansas that split MLK and Lee day, Representative Jana Della Rosa stated that the passing of this bill gave the appearance that we, as a country, were embarrassed about the existence of Robert E. Lee, and the passage of the bill was the same as taking down confederate statues to never be looked at again. So, as you enjoy your day off, remember to take the time to remember the significance of Dr. King’s extraordinary work.