Written by Michael Sutherland, Web Services Librarian
sutherlandmj@unk.edu
The library will be open limited hours this coming Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and will be closed in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday on Monday, January 19th.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., a Baptist minister and civil rights leader dedicated to the principles of nonviolence. The campaign for a federal holiday in King’s honor began soon after his assassination in 1968. President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed three years later. It is now officially observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around the time of King’s birthdate, January 15th and serves multiple purposes: It celebrates the total legacy of Dr. King; focuses on the issue of civil rights; highlights the use of nonviolence to promote change; and calls people into service.
Dr. King is arguably one of the most quotable speakers of the the 20th century. Many people know or are aware of the “I have a Dream” speech given on June 11, 1963 during the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”. When Dr. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, at the time the youngest recipient to ever win at the age of 35, his acceptance speech in Norway included the famous statement “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”
The Calvin T. Ryan Library has several resources for those interested in studying Dr. King – online biographies covering the life and works of Dr. King include:
- Biography Reference Bank – provides online biographies and lists of additional works by or about Dr. King.
- American National Biography Online
- Credo Reference
as well as books, e-books, government documents and curriculum materials listed in LOPERSearch by searching “Martin Luther King, Jr”. For example:
- African American leaders of the 20th century [videorecording]. (2002). Huntsville, TX: Seth Conway Productions.
In Curriculum Collection (Lower Level), Call #: DVD E 185.96 .A47 2000. - Corporation for National and Community Service (U.S.). (2006). Now is the time: Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service : make it a day on, not a day off. Washington, D.C: Corporation for National and Community Service.
Online and in Government Documents (2nd Level), Call #: Gov Doc Y 3.N 21/29:2 N 86 - Feinstein, Stephen. Lee sobre Martin Luther King, Jr.: Read about Martin Luther King, Jr.
In Curriculum Collection, (Lower Level), Call #: +E 185.97 .K5 F4518 2006. - Howard-Pitney, D. (2004). Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and the civil rights struggle of the 1950s and 1960s: A brief history with documents. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
In Book Collection, Call #: E185.61 .H85 2004 - Jackson, T., & NetLibrary, Inc. (2008). Becoming King Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Making of a National Leader. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky.
An e-book accessible via NetLibrary. - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: making of a holiday.
A streaming video accessible via Films on Demand. - Rieder, J., & NetLibrary, Inc. (2008). The Word of the Lord Is Upon Me the Righteous Performance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
An e-book accessible via NetLibrary.
Although the library will be closed Monday, don’t forget you have 24/7 access to our digital resources (such as e-books, many government documents, and our entire collection of subscription databases) through the library web site.