Today a staple at birthday parties, Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday” originally served as an unofficial commercial to call up people to sign the petition for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Stevie also wrote down a few things about Martin Luther King Jr. Day in his album sleeve:

It is believed that for a man to lay down his life for the love of others is the supreme sacrifice. Jesus Christ by his own example showed us that there is no greater love. For nearly two thousand years now we have been striving to have the strength to follow that example. Martin Luther King was a man who had that strength. He showed us, non-violently, a better way of life, a way of mutual respect, helping us to avoid much bitter confrontation and inevitable bloodshed. We still have a long road to travel until we reach the world that was his dream. We in the United States must not forget either his supreme sacrifice or that dream.

I and a growing number of people believe that it is time for our country to adopt legislation that will make January 15, Martin Luther King’s birthday, a national holiday, both in recognition of what he achieved and as a reminder of the distance which still has to be traveled.

Join me in the observance of January 15, 1981 as a national holiday.

Stevland Morris a/k/a Stevie Wonder

The day was eventually signed into federal law by Ronald Reagan in 1983 and, first introduced in 1986, is now celebrated annually on the third Monday in January.