Explore the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Dexter Library

Since his death, many artists and politicians have sought to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

On Nov. 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the King Holiday Bill into law.

Less than three years later, on Jan. 20, 1986, the first official Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday was observed in the District of Columbia and 27 states, including Michigan.

And today, Americans everywhere will celebrate the 26th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a federal holiday.

Dexter Community Schools are closed today, as well as the Dexter Village Offices.

Today is a perfect opportunity to read many of the speeches and essays that Dr. King wrote. It's also a good time to discover some of the many works of art that explore what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. meant to people around the world. So whether you have first-hand knowledge of the Civil Rights Movement, or only a vague notion of who Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was and what our country was like at the time he was murdered, we have you covered with a list of books available to borrow at the . some titles may not be immediately available if someone else has checked them out.

Books for children:

• "Martin Luther King Jr. Day" by Jill Foran.  

This book provides a great overview of the holiday and how it came into being.

• "Meet Martin Luther King, Jr." by Melody Mis.

This is a great introduction for beginning readers and parents who are teaching their children about Dr. King and his legacy.

• "Martin Luther King Jr.: A Dream of Hope" by Alice Fleming.

This is a good book for elementary-age students. This book does an excellent job covering the laws, events and key people during Dr. King's life.

Picture books for young children include:

• "March On!: The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World" by Christin King Ferris.
• "Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." by Doreen Rappaport.

Books for adults:

• Pillar of Fire: America in the King Years, 1963-65" by Taylor Branch.

In the second volume of his three-part history, Taylor Branch portrays the Civil Rights Movement at its zenith, recounting the climactic struggles as they commanded the national stage.

• "Hellhound on His Trail: the Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the International Hunt for His Assassin" by Hampton Sides.

The narrative builds to the staggering and heartbreaking moment of King's assassination by James Earl Ray, then races on through the immediate fallout: the worldwide manhunt led by J. Edgar Hoover's FBI; Ray's nearly successful attempt to flee to Rhodesia; and the riots that erupted throughout the United States as racial tensions reached a breaking point.

Audio:

• "The Great Speeches of the 20th Century" CD collection contains the recording of Dr. King's address during the March on Washington in the 1960s.