Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a U.S. federal holiday observed on the third Monday of January, honoring the life and legacy of the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was born on January 15, 1929. King led the American civil rights movement through nonviolent protest, most famously delivering his "I Have a Dream" speech during the 1963 March on Washington, and was assassinated in 1968. Congressman John Conyers first introduced a bill for the holiday just days after King's death, but it took 15 years of advocacy, including a petition and a hit song by Stevie Wonder, before President Ronald Reagan signed it into law in 1983. The holiday was first observed in 1986, though it wasn't officially recognized in all 50 states until the year 2000. Today, MLK Day is treated as a "day on, not a day off," with many Americans participating in community service projects, marches, and educational events about civil rights history. Schools, museums, and civic organizations often hold programs reflecting on King's message of equality, justice, and nonviolence.