Why We Observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Below is an excerpt from an email by Dean of Students David Leedy to students about why The King’s College closes for Martin Luther King Jr. Day:

Dear students,

This month I have been reading Bearing the Cross: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a fascinating and informative biography about MLK. I’ve been struck by how driven he was by a conviction that the Christian Gospel addresses social evils, not just personal sin. That conviction—in spite of his fears and feelings of inadequacy—compelled him to spearhead what we now refer to as the Civil Rights Movement.

At the young age of 26, he was elected president of the newly formed Montgomery Improvement Association. The budding movement encountered fierce opposition. One segregationist pastor argued that ministers should steer clear of “political affairs.” MLK vehemently protested: “I can see no conflict between our devotion to Jesus Christ and our present action. In fact, I see a necessary relationship. If one is truly devoted to the religion of Jesus, he will seek to rid the earth of social evils.”

That conviction, vividly lived out over the ensuing 12 years, cost him his life. Yet, because he was willing to put himself in the crosshairs in the battle against the demonic forces of racism, our nation changed.

It is appropriate that The King’s College—an institution committed to the ideals of human dignity and human flourishing—observes the national holiday that celebrates MLK’s life and legacy. Since our re-founding in 1999, we have canceled classes on MLK Day for this purpose.

This day is an opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come thanks to MLK’s leadership—and to commit ourselves to doing our part to shape society for the better.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend,

David Leedy
Dean of Students
The King’s College – New York City