MLK Day celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It takes place near, but generally not on, the day of King's birth (Jan. 15). According to the National Museum of African American ...

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, or MLK Day, is observed annually on the third Monday in January. The 2025 holiday falls on Jan. 20. Although MLK Day is on Jan. 20 this year, King's birthday is Jan. 15.

The federal government shuts down on the third Monday of every January for the day to honor Martin Luther King Jr. This year, that day is Jan. 20. The holiday in his honor is timed to honor King ...

How the idea for MLK day began. The idea to establish a national holiday for the civil rights icon arose as the nation was plunged into grief. U.S. Democratic Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, one of ...