Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the Fenton Area

Monday, Jan. 21 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

For some, the national holiday honoring the prominent civil rights activist is a time to give back and serve the community, be it through removing graffiti or picking up litter in a local park.

For others, it’s an opportunity to educate themselves about King and his life's work. And for others, it’s a time to just kick back and enjoy the prolonged weekend.

Fenton and Lake Fenton Schools have the day off and most government buildings will be closed. There will also be no United States Post Service mail.

There are a couple events planned in communities outside of Fenton including a March on Main Street in Milford. The eighth annual event will begin at the Prospect Shopping Center at 521 Highland Avenue. Line up begins at 12:15 p.m. and the march begins at 1 p.m..

6677 Orchard Lake Road in West Bloomfield. For the past 12 years, Wesley Berry, owner of Wesley Berry Flowers has celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by providing free roses in bunches of 1 dozen.  This year on Monday, January 21, Wesley Berry will be giving away 12,000 roses absolutely FREE to any adult who visits their florist shops between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. (or until the supply runs out).

So, tell us—What does Martin Luther King Jr. Day mean to you? What are you doing to commemorate King’s legacy?

The Holiday's History

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, now a U.S. holiday, took 15 years to create.

Legislation was first proposed by Congressman John Conyers (D-Michigan) four days after King was assassinated in 1968.

The bill was stalled, but Conyers, along with Rep. Shirley Chisholm (D-New York), pushed for the holiday every legislative session until it was finally passed in 1983, following civil rights marches in Washington. 

Then-president Ronald Reagan signed it into law. Yet it was not until 2000 that every U.S. state celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day by its name. Before then, states like Utah referred to the holiday more broadly as Human Rights Day. 

Now, the Corporation for National and Community Service has declared it an official U.S. Day of Service.

TELL US: What does MLK Day mean to you? Tell us in the comments.