My son turned 10 last week, and one of the “Happy Birthday” renditions sung to him was the chorus to the tune by Stevie Wonder written to show support for the Martin Luther King Day federal holiday.

With Wonder’s song and support— and a petition with six million signatures — the holiday became law in 1983. The day was first observed in 1986, although it was not observed in all states until 2000.

King, a civil rights activist and leader in the movement to end racial segregation in the United States, perhaps is most famous address for his “I Have A Dream” speech. He was an advocate of non-violent protest and became the youngest man to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize before he was assassinated in 1968.

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