MLK Day: Life and legacy of civil rights icon (34 images)

By UPI Staff

Americans observe the holiday dedicated to civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. every January near his birthdate: January 15, 1929. This year, the holiday falls on Monday. King was assassinated in 1968. Here is a look back at his life and previous celebrations of his legacy.

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his famed "I Have Dream" speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, August 28, 1963. The speech galvanized the nation's civil rights movements and led to the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act and the 1968 Fair Housing Act. cc/sp/files UPI

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The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his famed "I Have Dream" speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, August 28, 1963. The speech galvanized the nation's civil rights movements and led to the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act and the 1968 Fair Housing Act. cc/sp/files UPI

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The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington opens to the public in August 2011. Photo by Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI

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Qwanzza Nivens becomes emotional as she looks at the memorial for the first time on opening day on August 22, 2011. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

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