IT: MLK Day - Civil Rights in 2021 America & How You Can Celebrate Virtually 💻

by Causes | 1.17.21

Welcome to Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2021, dreamers...

Martin Luther King Jr. Day traditionally means parades, marches, speeches, service projects, and community gatherings. But this year's holiday - held on the third Monday of January - will be a muted celebration amidst the COVID-19 pandemic that has especially - and disproportionally - devastated Black Americans.

MLK Day 2021 also arrives following months of Black Lives Matter civil rights protests sparked by the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police officers.

The celebration also occurs two days before the first Black and first Asian vice president - Kamala Harris - is sworn in.

Find a list of virtual events honoring MLK and his legacy here.

Are you doing something to honor MLK today?

A History of Civil Rights Legislation in America

President Lyndon Johnson lobbied Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and civil rights groups. 

After a fierce battle (read the history here), LBJ signed the bill into law with MLK, Rosa Parks, John Lewis, and other civil rights leaders in attendance.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 allowed for direct federal efforts to increase black voter registration in areas where it was suppressed and prohibited the use of practices like poll taxes and literacy tests by states in an effort to restrict voting. It also required areas with historic voter discrimination to seek the DOJ’s preclearance of proposed new voting laws before they could be implemented to ensure they wouldn’t disenfranchise voters. 

Read about this (sadly) evergreen topic here.

And, in the End…

I think we could all use more celebrating these days, so let's also take a moment for Winnie the Pooh Day.

A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh's creator, was born on this date in 1882. (P.S. - His son was named Christopher Robin.)

May every day be your favorite day,

—Josh Herman

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