The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Recalls the Importance of Service

Many service organizations observe the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as an opportunity to honor Dr. King’s legacy through service. It is a day when Americans celebrate the life of Dr. King through community engagement, leadership development, and interfaith dialogue.

Dr. King is a pivotal figure in American history and was instrumental in the modern Civil Rights Movement. His leadership inspired the nation and sparked activism for the generations that followed. Dr. King devoted his life to the causes of equality and social justice, believing that service to our fellow man would empower individuals and strengthen working families, our communities and our country. We continue that tradition on this MLK Day of Service.

The inherent value of service to our communities was acknowledged and affirmed by Congress and President Obama in April 2009, when the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act was signed into law. This legislation has inspired  a new era of service, creating a continuum of service for which Americans of all ages and from every background can lend their experience and skills to uplift our communities and transform the nation. Since its passage, organizations such as the Corporation for National and Community Service’s (CNCS) Americorps program have been able to significantly expand the number of people committed to service for, and in, their communities. Annually, CNCS engages over five million people through Americorps and other core programs. They also take the lead on President Obama’s initiative “United We Serve”— which realized that solving problems in our communities is more than an one-time act and Americans must be intentionally committed to serving our fellow citizens.

Service and volunteerism are fundamental American values demonstrated throughout our history and the MLK Day of Service serves as a cornerstone of this practice. Dr. King realized that when communities come together, they can achieve extraordinary things. As he once said, "Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve.  You only need a heart full of grace.  A soul generated by love."

Through community service, Americans can bridge barriers, solve problems, and bring communities together.