Martin Luther King Jr. Day became an officially observed holiday for schools, banks, and federal offices across the US in 1986 - making him the first non-president to have his birthday become a national holiday. South Carolina was the final state to officially observe the national holiday in 2000.
To help garner support in the following years, Stevie Wonder wrote and recorded his song 'Happy Birthday' in honor of Dr. King. He also joined the reverend's wife on a four-month tour to advocate for the holiday.
Dr. King's public-speaking talents date back to his teenage years when he won an oratory contest in Georgia for speaking on a topic titled 'The Negro and the Constitution' when he was a teen.
In 1934, after King Sr. attended an international Baptist conference in Germany where he became inspired by the teachings of 16th-century religious thinker Martin Luther, he changed both his name and his son's.
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