Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday holiday observance, January 15th, 2024
Historically, Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., and often referred to shorthand as MLK Day) is a federal holiday in the United States marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year. Born in 1929, King's actual birthday is January 15th (which in 1929 fell on a Tuesday). The holiday is similar to holidays set under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. The earliest Monday for this holiday is January 15th and the latest is January 21st.
King was the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. The campaign for a federal holiday in King's honor began soon after his assassination in 1968. President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed 3 years later on January 20th, 1986. At first, some States resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It was officially observed in all 50 States for the first time in 2000.
Annually, this day commemorates the life and work of Dr. King, who was a Baptist minister and prominent leader in the American Civil Rights movement. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for the rights and dignity of all people, and his legacy inspires us to continue working towards a more just and equitable world.
