Monday, Jan. 21 is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

For some, the national holiday honoring the prominent civil rights activist is a time to give back and serve the community, perhaps through removing graffiti or picking up litter in a local park.

For others, it’s an opportunity to educate themselves about King and his life's work. And for others, it’s a time to just kick back and enjoy the prolonged weekend.

So, tell us—What does Martin Luther King Jr. Day mean to you? What are you doing to commemorate King’s legacy?

What's Open / Closed on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

Pine-Richland schools will be in session Monday, even though federal, state and county offices are closed for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Richland Township offices will be closed, but the Township of Pine offices will be open.

The school district originally scheduled the day as a holiday, but changed that designation to declare it a makeup day after students took a day off in October as Hurricane Sandy approached the area.

In the end, the Pine-Richland area did not have any major problems from Sandy, but the forecasts in advance of the storm warned of potential severe problems.

Open

• Pine-Richland public schools
• Township of Pine municipal offices
• Pine Community Center
• Pine-Richland Youth Center
• Northern Tier Library
• Vogel Disposal—The regular schedule is unchanged for trash and recycling pickup in Pine and Richland townships.
• The Port Authority is running regular bus, T and incline weekday service, but the downtown service center is closed.

Closed

• Federal, state, and Allegheny County offices and courts.
• Pennsylvania driver license and photo centers are closed Saturday, Jan. 19, through Monday, Jan 21. Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services online through PennDOT's Driver and Vehicle Services website, www.dmv.state.pa.us. 
• State liquor stores
• Post offices (No mail delivery except for Express Mail)
• Most banks

• The Port Authority's downtown service center is closed, but the regular bus, T and incline weekday service is running. 

The Holiday's History

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, now a U.S. holiday, took 15 years to create.

Legislation was first proposed by Congressman John Conyers, D-Michigan, four days after King was assassinated in 1968.

The bill was stalled, but Conyers, along with Rep. Shirley Chisholm, D-New York, pushed for the holiday every legislative session until it was finally passed in 1983, following civil rights marches in Washington. 

Then-President Ronald Reagan signed it into law. Yet it was not until 2000 that every U.S. state celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day by its name. Before then, states like Utah referred to the holiday more broadly as Human Rights Day. 

Now, the Corporation for National and Community Service has declared it an official U.S. Day of Service.

What does MLK Day mean to you? Tell us in the comments box below.

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