Adopted by the Genesee County Board of Commissioners on January 7, 2026:

WHEREAS, in 1983 President Ronald Reagan signed the King Holiday Bill into law, making the third Monday in January a federal holiday honoring the life and legacy of slain civil rights leader the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who was born on January 15, 1929, and who fearlessly led a movement for the recognition of African Americans’ rights, using nonviolent resistance as a tool for social change, which contributed directly to the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act; and

WHEREAS, Dr. King’s writings such as “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” which was written while he was arrested for demonstrating against racial segregation, express the urgency for meaningful social change in the face of ongoing oppression and the recognition that “an unjust law is no law at all;” and

WHEREAS, Dr. King was also firmly committed to ending war and poverty; and

WHEREAS, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day of national service where Americans of all backgrounds honor his commitment to universal human dignity through volunteering in their communities for causes that affirm human rights, alleviate suffering, and promote freedom for all people; and

WHEREAS, the local Genesee County community will mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day with commemorations including a celebration on January 17, 2026 at the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library, the 20th annual Inspiration Breakfast hosted by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flint and Genesee on January 19, 2026, and a keynote address and volunteer opportunities coordinated by the University of Michigan-Flint also on January 19; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Genesee County Board of Commissioners hereby recognizes January 19, 2026 as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in Genesee County and encourages all county departments to engage in appropriate recognitions such as participation in community events including acts of volunteer service.