'Happy Birthday': Stevie Wonder Helps Create Martin Luther ...

It was Stevie Wonder's composition and release of “Happy Birthday,” and his tireless campaigning, that led directly to the enshrinement of Dr. Martin Luther ... SIGNUP SearchuDiscoverMusic Features LatestNews RememberingTheMighty‘Possum,’CountryLegendGeorgeJonesSeptember12,2022LittleRichard’s‘WholeLottaShakin’…’:TheGeorgiaPeachSingsTheKillerSeptember12,2022‘Curtis’:50CentCraftsOneOfTheBiggestAlbumsOfThe2000sSeptember11,2022BestLudacrisSongs:20DirtySouthEssentialsSeptember11,2022‘Graduation’:HowKanyeWestPutHip-HopToTheTestSeptember11,2022BestJohnMartynSongs:20RawFolkRockTracksSeptember11,2022‘Shine’:Frida’sLastSoloAlbumOfThe80sStillSparklesSeptember11,2022 EasyLifeAnnounceMajorUK&EuropeanTourFor2023September12,2022BrendaLee,RayStevensAmongLine-UpAtFourthAnnualDottieWestBirthdayBashSeptember12,2022YungbludScoresSecondUKNumberOneAlbumWithSelf-TitledThirdLPSeptember12,2022KISSLaunchNewOfficially-Branded‘NavyStrength’ColdGinSeptember12,2022Disney+ToStreamEltonJohn’sLastEverUSShowAtLosAngeles’DodgerStadiumSeptember12,2022AppleMusicCelebrates15YearsOfKanyeWest’s‘Graduation’WithKosineSeptember11,2022CoiLerayReturnsWithNewSingle‘FlySh!t’September11,2022 ADVERTISEMENT StevieWonderandCorettaScottKingPhoto:Bettmann/Contributor Onlyahandfulofartistshavetheculturalmagnetismthatenablestheirworktoimpactourlives,evenbeyondtheirmusicalcomfortzone.ItwasStevieWonder’scompositionandreleaseof“HappyBirthday,”andhistirelesscampaigning,thatleddirectlytotheenshrinementofDr.MartinLutherKing,Jr.Day,observedintheUSforthefirsttimeinJanuary1986andeversince. HappyBirthday Clicktoloadvideo TheideaforanationalholidaytomarktheJanuary15thbirthdayofthegreatcivilrightscampaignerwasbuildinginmomentumfromsoonafterDr.King’sshockingassassinationin1968.Severalstatesenactedholidaysonhisbirthdayinthe1970s,includingIllinois,Connecticut,andMassachusetts,butCongressstoppedshortofpassinganationaldayintolaw.InNovember1979,despitetheendorsementofPresidentJimmyCarter,theKingHolidayBillwasdefeatedbyfivevotes.HowBerryGordyAndMotownPioneeredAfrican-AmericanBusinesses‘WildIsTheWind’:NinaSimone’sTypicallyGenre-CrossingProclamation‘YouCan’tHurryLove’:TheSupremesRaceTowardsChartImmortality AsprofessorandauthorJamesHoney,anexpertontheactivist,toldUSATodayin2016:“Thiswasthefirstholidayaroundanationalfigurewhoisnotapresident,andwhoisAfricanAmerican.ManyinCongressdidnotwanttorecognizeanAfricanAmericanthatwasthoughtofasatroublemakerbysomeinhisday.”Butdespitemanysetbacks,theideafortheholidayrefusedtogoaway,vehementlychampionedbyKing’swidow,CorettaKingScott. ADVERTISEMENT Afterthe1979defeatofthebill,Wonderwrote“HappyBirthday”andincludeditonhisHotterThanJulyalbumof1980.TheMotownsuperstarheldtheRallyforPeacepressconferencein1981,whenthetrackcameoutasasingle.PerhapsironicallyforasongspearheadinganAmericancampaign,itenjoyeditsbiggestsuccessinternationally,climbingtoNo.2intheUK. Inlate1983,StevieandCoretta’swishesweregranted.PresidentRonaldReaganapprovedtheholiday,tobeobservedonthethirdMondayinJanuaryeachyear.OnJanuary20,1986,asAmericanscommemoratedthebirthdayofthegreatmanwithaholidayinhisname,MartinLutherKing,Jr.Daywascelebratedforthefirsttime,andWonderheadlinedamajorconcerttomarktheoccasion.  ListentotheReturnToWonderMotownplaylist. ThatfirstMLKDaywasalsoobserved,asTimeMagazinereported,withcandlelightvigils,concerts,readings,teach-ins,andreligiousservicesthroughouttheUS,“occasionstorecalloneofthemostpainfulanddramaticerasofAmericanhistory.” AsSteviehadwritteninthelyric:“Ijustneverunderstood/Howamanwhodiedforgood/Couldnothaveadaythatwould/Besetasideforhisrecognition.” Buyorstream“HappyBirthday”onHotterThanJuly. ADVERTISEMENT RelatedTopics:HomepageFeaturedMartinLutherKingMartinLutherKingDayMotownOnThisDaySoulStevieWonder 1Comment 1Comment Stevie February16,2022at10:50pm Suchanamazingsong.CompletelyloveStevieWonderHappyBirthday.It’saclassicbirthdaysong. Reply LeaveaReplyCancelreplyYouremailaddresswillnotbepublished.Requiredfieldsaremarked*CommentName* Email* Website Savemyname,email,andwebsiteinthisbrowserforthenexttimeIcomment. Δ JohnLegend’sNewAlbum,‘Legend’IsOutNow Revered1969SoulAlbumByUSTrioTheFlirtationsForVinylReissue

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