What is Martin Luther King Jr. Day?
Martin Luther King Jr. Day honours the life and legacy of Dr Martin Luther King Jr., the Baptist minister who became the most prominent leader of the American civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. King advocated nonviolent resistance to segregation and discrimination, led the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955 and 1956, and delivered the I Have a Dream speech at the March on Washington in August 1963. His speeches and his writings, such as the Letter from Birmingham Jail of 1963, remain widely read and quoted. Today the holiday is the only federal holiday that is also designated as a national day of service.
He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and was assassinated on 4 April 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. The holiday is now widely observed with parades, speeches, church services and community service. Many Americans treat it as a day on, not a day off, in line with the National Day of Service, which Congress linked to the holiday in 1994 through the King Holiday and Service Act. Schools and libraries hold readings, and many cities hold marches and memorial services. The day is also used for reflection on the unfinished work of the civil rights movement.
Why it is observed
King was born on 15 January 1929, and proposals for a holiday began soon after his death. A bill was introduced in Congress within days, and after years of campaigning, including a petition with millions of signatures and the support of musicians such as Stevie Wonder, President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law on 2 November 1983. It was first observed on 20 January 1986. Some states were slow to adopt it under that name, and it was only in 2000 that all fifty states recognised it as a paid state holiday, with New Hampshire the last to adopt it.
How the date is set
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the third Monday of January, which means it falls between 15 and 21 January, close to King's birthday on 15 January.
How it is observed
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday, so federal offices, the stock markets, banks, post offices and schools are closed on the Monday. Many private employers close too, though it is not a legal requirement for them, and many retailers stay open. Public transport usually runs on a holiday schedule. The long weekend is also a popular time for winter travel and skiing. Pay and time off depend on the employer, the state and the contract. Some museums offer free admission on the day. Visitors can also find special exhibits.
United States