The team at IHG® Army Hotels loves to celebrate holidays. Some holidays are an opportunity for festive decorations and tasty feasts, while others give us pause to reflect on what is important to us. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is one holiday that allows us to look beyond ourselves and envision a better world for everyone.
On the third Monday of January each year, we are given a chance to honor the heroic life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights activist who dedicated his life to racial equality, social justice, and nonviolent resistance to oppression. Dr. King's legacy includes some of the most impactful events of the Civil Rights Movement, like the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the March on Washington, and his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech.
We've celebrated MLK Day as a federal holiday since 1986. Unlike other holidays, which give us time to reflect on the past, MLK Day has become a call to service. In fact, the day is the only federal holiday that Congress has designated as a National Day of Service. It's a chance for all of us, individuals and communities, to do something to make the world a better place. As Dr. King put it, "everybody can be great because everybody can serve."
Some of the main tenets of Dr. King's teachings are listed below.
- Advocating nonviolence
- Service to others
- Unity and equality
- Civic engagement
- Reflecting on social injustice
- Education
As MLK Day 2025 draws close, we'd like to share a few of the ways our team makes the most out of the National Day of Service and how you can, too.
Advocating Nonviolence
Dr. King is well known for his stance on inspiring change in a nonviolent manner. Spending your day in support of nonviolence is an excellent way to honor Dr. King's memory and further his work. Here are two ways to do that.
Educating yourself on the importance of nonviolence can change your life. You can do this in a casual way by simply sitting down to have a discussion with others about how to solve issues in your community using nonviolent means. You can also look for more structured opportunities like The King Center's Nonviolence365® Training. This education program is designed to reshape culture through the power of nonviolence. The training is self-paced and fully online.
Service To Others
At IHG® Army Hotels, our mission is to support yours, so service to others is one of our favorites. There are so many ways you can spend MLK Day in service to those around you. With so many great causes in need, it's hard to choose just one to spend your day supporting. If you are having difficulty deciding, here are two we really like.
Volunteering at a soup kitchen or food bank can bring a smile to your face and hope to a person in need. There are several local and national organizations, like Feeding America, with volunteer opportunities in your area. Dr. King was committed to addressing poverty and helping to provide people with their basic needs. Working at a soup kitchen is right in line with his beliefs.
Participating in a neighborhood clean-up is another way to honor Dr. King on the National Day of Service. Many local organizations, such as schools, places of worship, and businesses, organize community clean-ups. Community centers and social media platforms often post information regarding these events. The work you do could make a park safe for children to play at, bring new life to a section of your community that has fallen on hard times, or, at the very least, bring a smile to someone's face.
Unity and Equality
Dr. King's dedication to the principles of unity and equality is unquestionable. He worked tirelessly to unite people, always searching for what could bring us together rather than what separates us. If his dedication to these principles inspires you, you can honor them on MLK Day in several ways.
Attending a multicultural event, or even better, organizing one, can be a rewarding experience. When you attend these events, you get a chance to step outside what you know and learn something new while embracing our shared humanity. People who celebrate in this way often build mutual respect across cultural divides and gain a better understanding of their community.
Also, in line with working towards unity and equality is volunteering to help underrepresented communities in your area. Many areas are home to groups such as the homeless in desperate need of assistance. Volunteering to help these groups can help make our society more inclusive.
Civic Engagement
Civic engagement is one of the main ways Dr. King advocated for each citizen to make a difference. One of the most powerful freedoms is the right to vote. If you feel passionate about this aspect of Dr. King's work, you may want to spend the day helping people register to vote. Organizations like Rock the Vote are a great place to volunteer if you feel called to help with this form of civic engagement.
Another great idea is to work on a letter-writing campaign. If there is a local or national issue you feel needs attention, writing to politicians or other community leaders can bring about positive change. By organizing many people to write about a cause, your voice can be more impactful and help bring about a better society.
Reflecting On Social Injustices
It's unfortunate that our world has many social injustices. But, just as Dr. King showed, there is no better way to counter social injustice than by confronting it in a nonviolent manner.
Hosting a film screening and discussion at your home on a topic related to social injustice is a great place to start. Films like Selma or Mississippi Burning are powerful examples of social injustice. Following the viewing of these films with a discussion can lead to a better understanding of these difficult periods of history. You can even brainstorm with your guests on how you can address the current injustices in your area.
Visiting a museum is another great way to learn about social injustice. One example is the National Civil Rights Museumat the site of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN, where Dr. King was assassinated. Museums can help make the day especially memorable for anyone looking to learn about social injustice, highlighted with powerful historical footage and artifacts.
Education
Educating the next generation of leaders was also very important to Dr. King. He understood the importance of ensuring the next generation was ready to tackle the social injustices they would face. His hope for the generations to come was limitless.
If you are moved to help educate on MLK Day 2025, consider mentoring or tutoring youth in your area. There are many programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters that help inspire children. Volunteering to help children have a better view of society is something we can all benefit from.
Even if your time is limited, you can still champion education by donating books or other resources to schools or libraries. Schools and libraries are educational beacons. Most are happy to take donations, especially those in areas with funding shortages.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day isn't just a day to have off from work or school. It's an opportunity to honor the memory of a true American hero through service. As the only National Day of Service authorized by Congress, we are all given a chance to do something beyond ourselves and help make our society a better place.
Whether it's helping at a food bank to make sure someone gets a meal they desperately need, learning about other cultures, or helping to educate the next generation of leaders, MLK Day 2025 is an excellent opportunity for you to help make the world a better place. We hope to see you out there as we celebrate MLK Day 2025 with a heart for service.