H.Res. 1010

H.Res. 1010 is expected to be considered on the floor of the House on Wednesday, January 20, 2010, under a motion to suspend the rules, requiring a two-thirds vote for passage. The legislation was introduced by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) on January 13, 2010.

H.Res. 1010 would resolve that the House of Representatives:
• "Celebrates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the 30th anniversary of the Stevie Wonder song tribute to Dr. King, `Happy Birthday';
• "Recognizes that the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. continues on with commitments to freedom, equality, and justice, as exhibited by Stevie Wonder and so many others; and
• "Encourages the people of the United States to commemorate the legacy of Dr. King by renewing pledges to advance those principles and actions that are consistent with Dr. King's belief that ‘all men are created equal'."

According to the resolution's findings, four days after the assassination of Dr. King, on April 8, 1968, Representative John Conyers, Jr. introduced legislation to recognize Dr. King with a Federal holiday that coincided with the great civil rights leader's birthday, January 15, 1929. The campaign to secure a Federal holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lasted 15 years, and included the 1980 Stevie Wonder song tribute to Dr. King, "Happy Birthday", solidifying the campaign's success.