Jan. 16 was declared a holiday to commemorate the birthday of King, who is best known for his "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963.
King became the face of the American civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s.
The world lost one of its brightest and most respected champions of freedom when King was assassinated in 1968.
Every third Monday of January, Americans honor his life and achievements.
A monument in honor of the 1964 Nobel Peace laureate and the individual most associated with the triumphs of the African-American civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s will be constructed in direct sight of the Lincoln Memorial, where he inspired Americans with his dreams of racial justice and equality. – Pia Lee-Brago