On Sunday, January 18, 2026, at 3:00PM In The Afternoon, the Katie Hall Educational Foundation, Inc. in observance of the Fortieth Anniversary of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday Law Observance: 1986-2026 will remember the major federal legislative fete of the State of Indiana’s first African-American- male or female elected to the United States Congress- U.S. Representative Katie Hall (D-IN-1).
As a member of the 98th Congress, U.S. Representative Hall authored and sponsored House of Representatives Bill, H.R. 3706, “The King Bill,” designating the third Monday in January as a national holiday in honor of the birthday of famed civil rights leader, Rev.- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The American government’s first official celebration of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday Law was held in January 1986, despite President Reagan signing “The King Bill” into law three (3) years earlier on November 2, 1983.
The Fortieth Anniversary of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday Law Observance Ecumenical Service will be held at First Baptist Church, 626 West 21st Avenue in Gary, where the Rev. Nicole Guns is the Pastor. The Program will feature a Keynote speaker, gospel singing, and brief historical speeches, along with the showing of the feature animated short reel, “U.S. Representative Katie Hall: Dr. MLK, Jr. Day,” a fictional conversation between U.S. Representative Katie Hall and President Ronald Reagan at The White House on November 2, 1983, after the official Signing Ceremony.
Admission is free and open to the General Public.
For more information contact: [email protected].