June 18, 1987 Arizona Gov. Evan Mecham issued a proclamation declaring “the third Sunday in January, commencing in 1988 and every year thereafter to be Martin Luther King, Jr. – Civil Rights Day in the State of Arizona….”
February 2, 1989 A bill to create a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and combine the state holidays for Washington and Lincoln into a Presidents’ Day was passed by the Arizona House of Representatives but was killed in the Arizona Senate.
September 21, 1989 The Arizona Legislature created a paid Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and eliminated Columbus Day as a paid holiday.
September 24, 1989 Tempe architect, Julian Sanders and Italian-American groups launched a petition drive to force the referral of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday/Columbus Day issue to the ballot.
May 17, 1990 The Arizona Legislature passed a bill which was signed within hours by Gov. Rose Mofford creating a paid Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr./Civil Rights holiday and repealing the elimination of Columbus Day as a paid holiday. Julian Sanders indicated that efforts were already under way to put the holiday question back on the November ballot. ## (Pat Flannery and Leslie S. Polk “Mofford Signs Bill Creating King Day: Law Perpetuates ‘Legacy of Justice” Phoenix Gazette, May 17, 1990, p. A1)
November 6, 1990 Arizona voters rejected Proposition 301* which would have established the third Monday in January as Martin Luther King, Jr./Civil Rights Day, a paid holiday for state employees and would have made Columbus Day an unpaid observance on the second Sunday in October.
Arizona voters also rejected by a narrow margin Proposition 302** which would have established the third Monday in January as Martin Luther King, Jr./Civil Rights Day, a paid holiday for state employees and retained Columbus Day as a paid holiday on the second Monday of October. (Pat Flannery “King Day Narrowly Defeated: Angered Backers Cite Report on CBS” Phoenix Gazette, November 7, 1990, p. A1).
## You can force a “referendum” on any law with enough signatures.
* We already had Washington’s Birthday, Lincoln’s Birthday, and Statehood day in the spring … way too many days when nothing could be done because the government was off on holiday.
** The feeling was that there were already too many paid days off for the state employees.
March 12, 1991 The Arizona Senate passed, by a 25-4 margin, House Concurrent Resolution 2011. The resolution would put a proposition on the ballot asking voters to approve a paid Martin Luther King, Jr./Civil Rights Day holiday for state employees on the third Monday in January and merging the Washington and Lincoln birthdays into Lincoln/Washington Presidents’ Day on the third Monday in February. The resolution had passed the Arizona House of Representatives by a 40-11 vote. (Pat Flannery “King Day Plan Going on 1992 Ballot: Initiative Attempt May Be Dropped” Phoenix Gazette, March 13, 1991, p. A1)
Takei brings the awesome.
Ah yes, Arizona, the state that rescinded Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Agree with Marcus Ranum @1.
Thank you, George; understatement and clarity are so refreshing amidst the stridency.
@2 … It’s not that simple …
http://www.azlibrary.gov/links/kingholiday.aspx
June 18, 1987 Arizona Gov. Evan Mecham issued a proclamation declaring “the third Sunday in January, commencing in 1988 and every year thereafter to be Martin Luther King, Jr. – Civil Rights Day in the State of Arizona….”
February 2, 1989 A bill to create a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and combine the state holidays for Washington and Lincoln into a Presidents’ Day was passed by the Arizona House of Representatives but was killed in the Arizona Senate.
September 21, 1989 The Arizona Legislature created a paid Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and eliminated Columbus Day as a paid holiday.
September 24, 1989 Tempe architect, Julian Sanders and Italian-American groups launched a petition drive to force the referral of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday/Columbus Day issue to the ballot.
May 17, 1990 The Arizona Legislature passed a bill which was signed within hours by Gov. Rose Mofford creating a paid Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr./Civil Rights holiday and repealing the elimination of Columbus Day as a paid holiday. Julian Sanders indicated that efforts were already under way to put the holiday question back on the November ballot. ## (Pat Flannery and Leslie S. Polk “Mofford Signs Bill Creating King Day: Law Perpetuates ‘Legacy of Justice” Phoenix Gazette, May 17, 1990, p. A1)
November 6, 1990 Arizona voters rejected Proposition 301* which would have established the third Monday in January as Martin Luther King, Jr./Civil Rights Day, a paid holiday for state employees and would have made Columbus Day an unpaid observance on the second Sunday in October.
Arizona voters also rejected by a narrow margin Proposition 302** which would have established the third Monday in January as Martin Luther King, Jr./Civil Rights Day, a paid holiday for state employees and retained Columbus Day as a paid holiday on the second Monday of October. (Pat Flannery “King Day Narrowly Defeated: Angered Backers Cite Report on CBS” Phoenix Gazette, November 7, 1990, p. A1).
## You can force a “referendum” on any law with enough signatures.
* We already had Washington’s Birthday, Lincoln’s Birthday, and Statehood day in the spring … way too many days when nothing could be done because the government was off on holiday.
** The feeling was that there were already too many paid days off for the state employees.
March 12, 1991 The Arizona Senate passed, by a 25-4 margin, House Concurrent Resolution 2011. The resolution would put a proposition on the ballot asking voters to approve a paid Martin Luther King, Jr./Civil Rights Day holiday for state employees on the third Monday in January and merging the Washington and Lincoln birthdays into Lincoln/Washington Presidents’ Day on the third Monday in February. The resolution had passed the Arizona House of Representatives by a 40-11 vote. (Pat Flannery “King Day Plan Going on 1992 Ballot: Initiative Attempt May Be Dropped” Phoenix Gazette, March 13, 1991, p. A1)