Several events are being held throughout mid-Michigan this Monday to remember the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Most schools in mid-Michigan and all government offices are closed today in honor of the civil rights leader.
He fought to ensure equal rights for blacks, which is why he is celebrated today.
Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis in 1968, his late wife and civil rights activists worked tirelessly to get a holiday established in his name.
It wasn't until 1983 that a bill passed, the holiday started being officially observed in 1986.
Many who are off on this day of service are rolling up their sleeves to help out in their community.
Cooley Law students will once again be volunteering around the capitol city, including the humane society, the Greater Lansing Food Bank, and the Potter Park Zoo.
Parents looking for a way to get their children involved on this day of service can head out to the Fenner Nature Center. Volunteers will be gathered there to help remove invasive species from the grounds. Everybody is urged to pitch in, even kids. It begins at 9:30 a.m.
In downtown Lansing, the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission will hold its annual luncheon this morning at the Lansing Center, honoring Dr. King's legacy.
The keynote speaker this year is Andrew Young Jr., a civil rights activist who was an aide to Dr. King and was with him when he was assassinated in Memphis in 1968.
Martin Luther King led many marches, and this afternoon students at Michigan State University will march across campus in tribute to his legacy. The commemorative march begins at 3:15 a.m. at the MSU Union Ballroom, marchers will carry signs and sing songs as they march.
