January 18, 2021 – National Thesaurus Day | Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Did You Know That This Nobel Peace Prize Winner Shared His Prize Money With Other Organizations?

Welcome to January 18th, 2021 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate having a way with words and a dream that lives on today.

You may not immediately recognize the name Peter Mark Roget, but chances are you’ve read his book. Or at least parts of it. In 1852, he published his Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases, which is still in use today. Over the years, Roget’s publication has been a lifesaver for writers trying to avoid overusing the same words. And oddly enough, the word “thesaurus” is derived from the Greek word for “treasure.” Others have published thesauri over the years, but on National Thesaurus Day we celebrate the original—Mr. Roget’s book. Wait. Maybe that should say volume. Or does tome sound better? Text. Definitely text.

Martin Luther King Jr. was once called the apostle of nonviolence by President Johnson, for his commitment to using 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.”  Hundreds of streets throughout our country still bear the name of this Nobel Peace Prize winner.  King chose to share that prize money with several organizations including the Gandhi Society for Human Rights. For as he said in his most famous speech, “We cannot walk alone.”  On Martin Luther King Jr. Day we honor the unifying spirit of a man whose voice still echoes that dream today.  

If you’d like to know more, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson.  Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day! 


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