On October 19, 1983, the Senate passed Bill 78-22, making Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday a public holiday. But did you know, Arizona Senator John McCain voted against the bill making King's birthday a federal holiday? Even after MLK, Jr. Day became a federal holiday, many states like Arizona rejected efforts to make it a state holiday. Arizona voters did not support ballot propositions to make it a state holiday in 1990, but they eventually voted for MLK, Jr. Day in 1992. Such resistance prompted the National Football League to move the 1993 Superbowl from Arizona to California, causing the state of Arizona to lose $500 million.
Read how SBW celebrated MLK, Jr. Day in 2012.
