AppleInsider Staff
As Americans pause to celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Apple has dedicated its homepage to the memory of the slain civil rights leader, a rare practice that the company reserves for exceptional figures in history.
"Today we reflect on the life and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the work that continues in service of the broader concerns of humanity," Apple's website reads over a black-and-white image of Dr. King delivering his famous "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington, D.C. Dr. King is the third prominent figure from the black community that Apple has honored in this manner, joining fellow civil rights activist Rosa Parks and former South African president Nelson Mandela.
Apple CEO Tim Cook — Â who has previously named Dr. King as one of his personal heroes — Â tweeted news of the change earlier Monday. "Honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.," Cook wrote, adding #MLK.
Celebrated on the third Monday of January, Martin Luther King Jr. Day was created in 1983 to commemorate Dr. King's birthday, which fell on Jan. 15. Its creation was not without controversy, and it remains a contentious issue in many states. Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas, for instance, observe the birthdays of both Dr. King and confederate general Robert E. Lee on the same day.
Ranked by traffic aggregator Alexa as the 44th most-visited website in the world, Apple's homepage is valuable real estate. Among the other rare occasions on which it was dedicated to a single individual are the passing of company co-founder Steve Jobs and longtime board member Jerry York.
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163 Comments
He was most certainly an exceptional and inspiring historical figure. (Despite what some here might have to say about it....)
MLK was featured on the 'Think Different Ads' in 1997.
IIRC, they can post his likeness but not the contents of any speeches.
[quote name="John.B" url="/t/184369/apple-com-given-over-to-honor-dr-martin-luther-king-jr#post_2663200"]IIRC, they can post his likeness but not the contents of any speeches. [/quote] I understand that the remaining King family charges quite a lot of money for any use of MLK's name and image.
[quote name="anantksundaram" url="/t/184369/apple-com-given-over-to-honor-dr-martin-luther-king-jr#post_2663195"]He was most certainly an exceptional and inspiring historical figure. (Despite what some here might have to say about it....)[/quote] Nice speeches, but apparently Jackie Kennedy had a problem with King's extracurricular activities, which certainly rivaled those of her own husband. Don't believe everything the media presets as "the whole truth", it's often light on the details.