The Katie Hall Educational Foundation, Inc., presented the “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday Law at the 40th ecumenical service at Van Buren Missionary Baptist Church in Gary, Indiana, on Saturday, November 4.
It has been 40 years since U.S. Representative Katie Hall (D-IN-1) authored and introduced federal legislation (H.R. 3706) designating the third Monday in January a national holiday in honor of the birthday, life, and legacy of Civil Rights icon, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“The King Bill” was subsequently signed into federal law by Ronald Reagan, 40th U.S. President, on November 2, 1983, during a Rose Garden Ceremony at the White House, Washington, D.C.
The Foundation was able to secure and present to the audience attendees 1983 archival footage from the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) featuring key players in the passage of this historic federal legislation.
Immediately following was a viewing of the animated short reel film, “Katie Hall: Dr. MLK, Jr. Day,” written and executive produced by filmmaker, Junifer Hall.
The animation short reel features a fictionalized conversation between U.S. Representative Hall and U.S. President Reagan which is a recreation of Wednesday, November 2, 1983, in the White House Rose Garden, Washington, D.C.
The voice-over actors for this project are: Deacon-Attorney John Henry Hall, as U.S. President Ronald Reagan; Junifer Hall, JD, MPA, MBA as U.S. Representative Katie Hall (D-IN-1); Jacqueline D. Hall, JD, MPA as Junifer Hall, JD, MPA, MBA.
On Saturday, October 14, this animation short reel made its public debut at the Gary International Black Film Festival (GIBFF).
In the near future, this project will be pitched to Warner Brothers Animation, Burbank, California, for seasonal viewing for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday Observance.
