Advertisement
Advertisement
Martin Luther King Day
noun
- the third Monday in January, a legal holiday in the United States commemorating the birthday (Jan. 15) of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Example Sentences
Green was reinstated by the league on Jan. 3, but did not return to action until Monday in Memphis where the Warriors played the Grizzlies in the annual Martin Luther King Day game.
Iowa’s caucuses are also playing out on Martin Luther King Day, which is a federal holiday.
The last time the caucuses landed on Martin Luther King Day was in 2004, when Democrat John Kerry won Iowans’ support.
But with no realistic prospects for resolution, Fox and the academy decided in mid-August to change the show date to Jan. 15, 2024, Martin Luther King Day, at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
The deal, which still needs to be ratified by workers, also adds Martin Luther King Day to the list of paid holidays off and ends forced overtime on off days.
Advertisement
More About Martin Luther King Day
What is Martin Luther King Day?
Martin Luther King Day is a U.S. national holiday celebrating the birthday and life of civil rights leader and activist Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
It is also called Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It is often informally shortened to MLK Day. It is a federal holiday, with the official name of Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. King is celebrated for his role in the Civil Rights Movement. Many people use Martin Luther King Day as a day to perform community service. It is also commonly celebrated with parades and events that honor his life and work and focus on the legacy of fighting racism and injustice.
Example: We encourage students to spend Martin Luther King Day volunteering for programs devoted to social justice and the betterment of the community.
When is Martin Luther King Day?
Martin Luther King Day is always celebrated on the third Monday in January in commemoration of his birthday on January 15. In 2025, it falls on January 20.
Where does Martin Luther King Day come from?
Dr. King is remembered as the most prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. during the 1950s and ’60s, including for his role in several pivotal protests, boycotts, marches, and rallies. He is especially known for his famous “I have a dream” speech during the march on Washington in 1963. Dr. King not only called for racial harmony but was also a vocal critic of the racist and unjust economic and social policies that prevent equal rights for Black people and other people of color. Such outspoken criticism made him a target of harassment and threats of violence by white supremacists and the FBI, and he was murdered in 1968 at the age of 39.
The first proposal for a holiday honoring him came that year, but it wasn’t until 1983 that Martin Luther King Day was officially adopted as a federal holiday. It wasn’t observed as a holiday by every U.S. state until 2000. Displaying the kind of deeply entrenched racism that Dr. King spent his life fighting, some states opted to call it by other names, with some even combining the holiday with one honoring Confederate leaders.
Because Martin Luther King Day is a federal holiday, many schools and workplaces are closed on the day. Volunteer and activist organizations sometimes refer to it as a day on rather than a day off as a way of encouraging people to treat it as a day of service rather than a vacation day. Many students spend the day working on community service projects or volunteering for local organizations.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to Martin Luther King Day?
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (alternate name)
- MLK Day (informal shortened name)
- Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (official name)
What are some words that often get used in discussing Martin Luther King Day?
How is Martin Luther King Day used in real life?
Martin Luther King Day is known as a day to honor Dr. King and his legacy by performing community service and pursuing ways to achieve the racial justice that he envisioned. It’s commonly called MLK Day for short.
It’s Martin Luther King Day next Monday, and so we are recommitting ourselves to building peace through non-violent change.
In our 🆕 blog, we share just a few ways you can join us:https://t.co/PkfJW0niwb #MartinLutherKingDay
— Peace Direct (@peacedirect) January 14, 2021
Martin Luther King Day: How to celebrate in a pandemic and after a summer of civil unrest https://t.co/VfQdaOogrA
— WQAD (@wqad) January 14, 2021
⚖️⚖️ MAKING it a DAY ON ⚖️⚖️
We are ALL Registered and Excited for MLK DAY on 1/18/2021.
We're Partnering with @AmeriCorps @MLKDay @BidenInaugural @JuvenileCrime.
100's of Justice Volunteer Opportunities for Youth & Adults @https://t.co/CI7QWSO4wQ#MLKDay @TheKingCenter pic.twitter.com/siU8dk2ZZs
— Teen Justice Volunteers (@RTORR_Approach) January 9, 2021
Try using Martin Luther King Day!
True or False?
Martin Luther King Day was officially adopted as a federal holiday in 1968.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse