When is Martin Luther King Day celebrated?

Martin Luther King Day is celebrated on the third Monday of January each year. The holiday is celebrated around the date of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, which is January 15.

Martin Luther King Day became a national holiday in January 1983, when President Ronald Reagan signed it into law. At first, some states did not want to observe the holiday. The first year that every state officially observed Martin Luther King Day was 2000. Martin Luther King Day celebrates his life and legacy. He was the spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, where he advocated for racial equality and justice.