United States · federal
The third Monday of January — for the minister who changed a country with words.
2026: January 19, 2026 · 2027: January 18, 2027
Dr King was born on January 15, 1929. The holiday was signed into law in 1983 and first observed in 1986, after years of campaigning; every state was observing it by 2000. It is one of the few federal holidays officially named a day of service rather than a day off.
It is the only federal holiday honoring a private citizen who held no office. His argument was that a country should be held to the words it had already written down — the Declaration’s promise, applied to everybody.
What a family can actually do
It is a day ON, not a day off. Do something for somebody outside your house.
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