Support the 39th annual awards and benefit luncheon

Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence,

Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence,Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence,Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence,

Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence,

Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence,Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence,Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence,
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NATIONAL BELL RINGING CEREMONY

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OVERVIEW

  • President Reagan signs on August 27, 1984 legislation providing for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission, to last for five years, with an option to renew for another five years.


  • First meeting of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission, November 1984.  Mrs. King was unanimously elected chairperson and Former governor of New Jersey, Thomas Kean was named vice-chair.
  • January 20, 1986, the first national King Holiday was observed.  The King Holiday Commissioners were sworn in by federal district Judge Horace Ward.


  • The Commission was given two specific congressional mandates: first, to encourage appropriate ceremonies and activities throughout the U.S. relating to the observation of the federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.; and second to provide advice and assistance to federal, state and local governments and to private organizations with respect to the observance of such a holiday.  One such activity was a bell ringing ceremony requested by Mrs. King.


  • Mrs. King requested that a bell ringing ceremony be held in Philadelphia at Independence Hall to launch the celebration of the holiday.  Ronald Reagan’s HUD Secretary, Samuel Pierce was the first bell ringer.  For the first three years of celebrating the holiday the Commission served as sponsors of the bell ringing ceremony. Thereafter, the Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence became the sponsor of the ceremony, and has carried on the tradition ever since.  The holiday is now observed by the ringing of the Liberty Bell as a Symbol of freedom and justice.  The Association currently assumes all organizing and financial responsibility for the bell ringing ceremony, but will seek and support legislative initiatives for federal funding of this national observance.



For information on the 2021 National Bell Ringing Ceremony, please scroll down

Photo gallery
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"let freedom ring"

2021 National Bell Ringing Ceremony

Due to Covid-19 the National Bell Ringing Ceremony will be broadcast live on Facebook from the Liberty Bell Pavilion, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania commencing at 11:15 am. and ending at 12:00 noon with the symbolic ringing of the Liberty Bell which officially inaugurates the King Holiday.


CONFIRMED PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE:

  • Dr. William Tucker, President, Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. 
  • Association for Nonviolence, Inc.
  • Honorable Tom Wolf, Governor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
  • Dr. Ala Stanford, Black Doctors Covid-19 Consortium
  • Captain Lisa Forrest, Philadelphia Fire Department
  • Rev. Dr. Lorina Marshall Blake
  • Rachel Merrill, Renowned Soloist


PLEASE NOTE: There will be NO invited guests onsite and only confirmed program participants will be in the Liberty Bell Chamber (strictly enforced).  

Some participants will be virtual due to Covid restraints




39th Annual Awards and Benefit Luncheon

Due to Covid-19 the Annual Awards and Benefit Luncheon will be held virtually!

Program will be broadcasted from the Philadelphia 201 Hotel starting at 

12:00 noon

Click Here to see our 2021 Honorees

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