Village Of Vernon Hills: MLK & Ali Day - January 17

Press release from Village of Vernon Hills:

January 15, 2022

On January 17, Illinois will mark not only Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but also the first observance of Muhammad Ali Day.

While many organizations, including schools, have observed MLK Day for several years, Illinois' Ali Day offer a new opportunity to learn about both individuals and the groundbreaking work they did to advocate for all people. Ali Day was championed by the Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition (IMCC), at whose urging Governor Pritzker created the day through a resolution signed on August 19, 2021.

Both Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Muhammad Ali served as powerful voices working for justice and equity. Many involved note that it is especially powerful that by coincidence the first Muhammad Ali Day falls on MLK Day.

The Village encourages all of us to learn more. A few resources are included below:

Illinois Ali Day Resolution (SB0564)

National Today: MLK Jr Day

Biography: Martin Luther King Jr

Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition – includes posters, educational toolkits and dialogue opportunities

The Muhammad Ali Center, Louisville, Kentucky

Biography: Muhammad Ali

The photo shown is a portion of the original artwork created to mark the day by the Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition. The poster and other resources may be ordered from the IMCC website.

This press release was produced by Village of Vernon Hills. The views expressed here are the author’s own.