Lecture: The making of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday in Nevada

CARSON CITY, Nevada – The federal Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, but it wasn’t always recognized as a state holiday. In fact, it wasn’t until 2000 that all 50 states recognized the holiday. Bertha Mullins, a Reno native who served as chairman of the Northern Nevada Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Committee, has unique insight into the story of the political wrangling involved in creating the state holiday in Nevada. In recognition of Black History Month, she will share that story on as part of the Nevada State Museum’s Frances Humphrey Lecture Series. Her presentation, “Making the Martin Luther King, Jr. State Holiday,” is at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, at the Nevada State Museum. The museum is located at 600 N. Carson Street. Admission is $8 for adults; free for museum members and children 17 and younger. Bertha Mullins is known throughout Nevada for her commitment and dedication to increasing the quality of life for families, her public service on boards and community service organizations and her work in political, economic and professional arenas. She has served on more than 30 boards, including Sierra Nevada Girl Scouts, Truckee Meadows Habitat for Humanity, Reno/Sparks NAACP Executive Board and the Northern Nevada Black Cultural Awareness Society. She holds a B.S. in Health and Human Science from the University of Nevada, Reno and currently serves as the Vice President of Community Outreach for Wells Fargo Bank. To read more about Bertha, got to http://ourstoryinc.com/ Contact: Bob Nylen: Rnylen@nevadaculture.org or 775-687-4810, ext. 245.