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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is an annual federal holiday observed on the third Monday in January honoring the life, teachings and achievements of Martin Luther King, Jr. As we enter the weekend celebrating one of our country’s most important activists and visionaries, and millions of Americans enjoy a day off work, we encourage you to remember and honor the teachings and work of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Introduced soon after King’s assassination in 1968, the holiday was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983 and first observed in 1986. In 1994, Congress designated MLK Day as a national day of service, calling for Americans “from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems.”
In some states, the day was referred to by different names or combined with holidays commemorating other people until recently. The year 2000 marked the first time all 50 states observed it as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
If you have the opportunity, consider participating in the MLK Day of Service by attending or volunteering at an MLK Day event. If you have the chance to attend an event, use #MLKDay to spread awareness and goodwill.
Remember, today is about much more than a three-day weekend.
To find an MLK Day event, please, click here.