Minorities in Arizona: Historical Topics and Related Resources

Law Resources

• Established by Gov. Bruce Babbit in Executive Order 86-5, signed May 18, 1986
• Rescinded by Gov. Evan Mecham on Jan. 12, 1987 in Executive Order No. 87-3.
• Gov. Mecham proposed observing MLK Day a day earlier, on Sunday, instead. Jun 19, 1987 (Arizona Daily Star pg. 4)
• News announced the holiday cancellation, Arizonans urged a boycott Mar 27, 1987, (Arizona Daily Star pg. 21)
• 1991 NFL owners removed the 1993 Super Bowl from Arizona and awarded it to Los Angeles March 20, 1991 (Arizona Republic, pg. 2) 
• Legislation for MLK Day introduced each year between 1988 and 1991 but Prop 300 was put on the 1992 ballot 1991 House Journal.
• Prop 300 proposed swapping Lincoln Day in February for MLK Day and passed1992 Initiative and Referendum Publicity Pamphlet at PDF 80. It passed. 

Note: The federal Martin Luther King Jr. holiday was established by a bill passed by Congress and signed by President Ronald Reagan on Nov. 2, 1983. The holiday was first observed on Jan. 20, 1986.