“Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.” —MLK
The observance of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday in January is a time for us to reflect on the life and achievements of an extraordinary leader in American history. Dr. King devoted his life to advancing equality, social justice, and economic opportunity through service to others. He also linked the quest for equality to healthcare and talked about the importance of being first in moral excellence and generosity. He taught us that everyone has a role to play.
Martin Luther King Jr. faced significant mental health challenges, particularly related to the immense stress and emotional toll of his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement. He experienced episodes of depression, anxiety, and deep personal doubts, often stemming from the constant threats on his life, the pressure of being a public figure, and the heavy responsibility he bore for the movement’s success. King’s close associates and family members noted his periods of fatigue, insomnia, and a sense of isolation. Despite these challenges, he remained dedicated to his cause, seeking solace through his faith, family, and close circle of friends. While King was not publicly open about his mental health struggles, it’s clear that the emotional strain of his work, combined with the personal risks he faced, had a significant impact on his well-being. King was concerned that people opposed to the Civil Rights Movement would use his depression to discredit him, as the stigma against people with mental illness was more pronounced in the 1950s and 1960s.
On this special day of remembrance, we can all hold ourselves accountable to acknowledging the work that remains to fulfill his dream. Many will mark the King holiday by volunteering in their neighborhoods—service is a powerful tool for strengthening our communities. Beyond volunteer service, there is much that can be done to improve the conditions in which all Americans are born, grow, work, live, and age.
Overall, we have made considerable progress improving health and healthcare for racial and ethnic minorities and disadvantaged populations. The life expectancy gap between Blacks and whites is at its narrowest point over the last three decades; cancer disparities are improving for all minority groups, including Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and teen birth rates have dropped for all races and Hispanic groups.
However, persistent and pervasive health disparities remain and addressing them will require not just a federal response, but also state and local organizations dedicated to achieving health equity. Issues like serious mental illness, the opioid epidemic, and childhood obesity are just some of the pervasive problems that continue to challenge us. Every day, 115 Americans die from drug overdoses due to opioids. One in five children in the United States is overweight or obese, and the rates are higher among African American and Latino children. And about 10 million American adults experience serious mental illness conditions each year.
Throughout the country, many communities will participate in the MLK Day of Service on January 20. The holiday remains the only federal holiday observed as a National Day of Service—a “day on, not a day off.”
Wherever you live, we hope you will join the hundreds of thousands of Americans who will spend the MLK Day of Service volunteering for a good cause or community activity. Some ideas are below.
Volunteer at an organization:
- Volunteer at a local animal shelter or food bank
- Volunteer at a local, state, or national park
- Mentor a young person
- Participate in a social justice or anti-racism workshop
Help a neighbor
- Reach out to a neighbor in need
- Collect and donate non-perishable food items
- Donate old linens like bath towels, blankets, and sheets to an animal shelter
- Read letters, newspapers, or magazines to residents in a nursing home
Beautify a community space
- Clean up a public space
- Plant trees, grass, and flowers to create community green spaces
- Reclaim an abandoned space or park for community use
- Organize a classroom
You can find more information about Martin Luther King Jr. and MLK Day of Service activities here.