January 17, 2022 - National Classy Day | Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Welcome to January 17th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate class acts and visionary dreamers. On December 31, 2021, actress, comedian, and producer Betty Marion White Ludden passed away at the age of 99. Born on January 17, 1922, Betty’s talent was so legendary that in 2018, Guinness World Records named her the female entertainer with the longest career. She first appeared in a 1939 radio broadcast at the age of 17, and for the next 82 years she never stopped. Her grace and charisma touched the world, while her endearing wit was featured in countless television shows and movies, including The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls and Hot in Cleveland. This year National Day Calendar created National Classy Day in her honor. We hope that her light never goes out and that many more follow in her footsteps. Martin Luther King was once called the apostle of nonviolence by President Johnson, for his use of civil disobedience throughout his legendary service. As a clergyman, activist and leader of the civil rights movement Dr. King is perhaps best known for his “I Have A Dream” speech. Hundreds of streets throughout our country still bear the name of this Nobel Peace Prize winner. But Dr. King knew that the honor of that title belonged to many. For this reason he chose to share the prize money with several organizations including the Gandhi Society for Human Rights. For as he said, “we must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” On Martin Luther King Jr. Day we honor the unifying spirit of a man whose voice still echoes that dream today. I’m Anna Devere and I’m John McClain. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices