Indeed, Arizona was one of the states that most aggressively resisted the creation of the MLK holiday while today its residents are among those who might most seriously be pondering his teachings. Reports the AP: 

 

A state that once resisted the notion of a federal King holiday – and last year was the setting for a sharp-tongued debate on immigration – now finds itself in search of solace after the Jan. 8 attack on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and the throng of people around her outside a grocery store in Tucson. The balm of choice is King, a pacifist Southern preacher whose own life was cut short by gun violence. 

"Dr. King's message was about inclusion and the recognition of human dignity, of human rights and making sure that all of our voices are heard," said Imani Perry, an African-American studies professor at Princeton University. "I hope people in Arizona, in particular, embrace that part of his message. The politics in Arizona recently have often seemed to revolve around excluding people."

Monday marks the 25th federal observance of the birth of King, whose words were often met with hate and resistance during one of the nation's most turbulent and transformative eras. Today, King is one of the country's most celebrated citizens and the only one to be honored with a national holiday who did not serve as a U.S. president.

The Washington Post marks this year's holiday by retracing the first draft of Rev. King's "I Have A Dream Speech."

Slate features a striking Magnum photo gallery on MLK.

Below find the video of his historic "I Have A Dream" speech.