Since 1986, Martin Luther King Jr. Day has been celebrated as a federal holiday. Yet, even from the start, the day was met with controversy: senators Jesse Helms and John McCain fought against the creation of the holiday, and more recently, some major figures –such as Cornel West – have started a campaign against what West called the “Santa-Claus-ification” of Dr. King. Harris Wofford also perceives Dr. King’s message as becoming warped over the years, and now advocates for Americans to spending the holiday donating their service instead of just taking off of work. Harris Wofford is former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania and co-founder of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.
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