Martin Luther King Jr. Day

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/martin-luther-king-jr--day

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the official name?Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr
2. What is the federal observance date?Third Monday of January each year
3. Why do people do volunteer work on Martin Luther King Jr. Day?The holiday encourages a day of service, meaning people help their communities instead of taking a day off. It reflects Dr. King's commitment to helping others.
4. When was Martin Luther King Jr. Day first celebrated?The first holiday was on January 20, 1986. All states began celebrating it by 2000.

Civil Rights Movement: A historical period of activism aimed at ending racial segregation and discrimination in the United States.
Federal Holiday: A holiday recognized by the U.S. federal government, affecting federal employees and institutions.
Uniform Monday Holiday Act: Legislation that moved several federal holidays to Mondays to create three-day weekends.