Today, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is publicly revered across the nation as a symbol of civil and human rights worthy of a memorial holiday — but that didn't happen overnight, or without a fight.
While Martin Luther King Jr. Day was recognized as a federal holiday in 1983, it took years before New Hampshire did the same. In fact, it was the last state to declare a state holiday in King's honor — in 1999.
The team at NHPR's Civics 101 podcast brings us this story of that fight to honor King's legacy in New Hampshire.