On Sunday, January 18, 2026, at 3:00PM In The Afternoon, the Katie Hall Educational Foundation, Inc. in observance of the Fortieth Anniversary of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday Law Observance: 1986-2026 will remember the federal legislative fete of the State of Indiana's first African-American- male or female elected to the United States Congress- U.S. Representative Katie Hall (D-IN-1).
As a member of the 98th Congress, U.S. Representative Hall authored and sponsored H.R. 3706, "The King Bill" designating the third Monday in January as a national holiday in honor of the birthday of Rev.-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The American government's first official Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday Law Observance was held in January 1986.
This year's Ecumenical Service will be held at First Baptist Church, 626 West 21st Avenue in Gary, where Rev. Nicole Guns is the Pastor. First Baptist is the oldest Baptist church in the City of Gary and is located in the historic Means Manor neighborhood, a few blocks from the "Historic Katie Hall House".
The Program will feature a Keynote speaker, gospel singing, and brief historical speeches, along with the showing of the featured animated short reel, "U.S. Representative Katie Hall: Dr. MLK,Jr. Day", a fictional conversation between U.S. Representative Katie Hall and President Ronald Reagan at The White House on November 2, 1983, occurring immediately after the Signing Ceremony.
Admission is free and open to the General Public.
For more information contact: katiehallfoundation@aol.com.