Letter from a Birmingham Jail

On November 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a federal holiday to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day today, consider reading his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, even if you think it is a little long, as Dr. King conceded:

Never before have I written so long a letter. I'm afraid it is much too long to take your precious time. I can assure you that it would have been much shorter if I had been writing from a comfortable desk, but what else can one do when he is alone in a narrow jail cell, other than write long letters, think long thoughts and pray long prayers?

And while we're at it, Dr. King's I Have A Dream speech remains well worth listening to in its entirety as well: