Why isn’t Martin Luther King Day celebrated on his Birthday on January 15? Date and celebration significance explored

Martin Luther King Day is the celebration of the civil rights activist's birthday that falls in January.

However, the federal holiday is not celebrated on Martin Luther King Jr.'s actual birthday, i.e., January 15. Instead, MLK Day is observed on the third Monday of the month to align with the birthday. Martin Luther King Day is not celebrated on the leader's birthday due to the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.

The law, which was enacted in 1968 and came into effect in 1971, ensured that certain federal holidays were observed on Mondays. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act aimed to provide federal employees with a long weekend. Thus, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed on the third Monday of January.

The earliest Monday for MLK day occurs on January 15, while the latest date is the 21st. In 2024, the third Monday coincided with Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, and it last occurred on January 21, 2019. Read on to learn more about Martin Luther King Day's history and its occurrence on Trump's second inauguration.

---

Martin Luther King Day was recognized as a federal holiday in 1983

MLK Jr. has been regarded as one of the most notable personalities of the 20th century for his non-violent activism, which also earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. In April 1968, King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, which led to a massive uproar across the US by his supporters. Ultimately, a campaign for Martin Luther King Jr. Day also commenced.

MLK Day got recognition from states such as Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and many more throughout the 1970s. During President Ronald Reagan's first term, Rep Katie Hall from Indiana proposed a bill regarding the creation of MLK Day to honor King. In 1983, the bill passed the House of Representatives and Senate, resulting in the recognition of the holiday.

The US government observed the federal holiday for the first time in 1986, and it took 14 more years for all states to recognize it. In 2000, South Carolina became the last state to make Martin Luther King Day an official state holiday.

For the uninitiated, Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the two non-presidents who have a holiday after their name. Apart from MLK Day, Columbus Day is also observed in the US as a federal holiday in October to honor Christopher Columbus.

The first Martin Luther King Jr. Day occurred on January 20, 1986, which is coincidentally the same date as Trump's second inauguration. Trump will swear in for his second (and non-consecutive) term on January 20, 2025, which occurs simultaneously with MLK Day.