When is Martin Luther King Jr. Day this year? What to know about the civil rights holiday

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the federal holiday honoring the life and birthday of one of the most influential civil rights leaders in American history, is this month.

Although the holiday is observed annually on the third Monday of January, this year is extra special because the holiday falls on King's actual birthday, Jan. 15.

Here's everything to know about Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2024, including why we celebrate it.

What day is MLK Day 2024?

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed annually on the third Monday of January. This year, it takes place on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, King's actual birthday.

Is MLK Day always on a Monday?

Yes, the holiday is observed each year on the third Monday of January due to the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which former President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law in 1968. The law made it where several federal holidays, including Memorial Day, Labor Day and Washington's Birthday, would be commemorated on Mondays to create long weekends.

Even though the anniversary of King's birthday is on Jan. 15, it's commemorated on Monday like the other holidays under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.

When did Martin Luther King Jr. Day become a federal holiday?

Ceremonies commemorating King's birthday and legacy have been held since his assassination in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968. However, the day did not become an approved federal holiday until 1983, when President Ronald Reagan signed it into law.

The first national holiday honoring King was celebrated in 1986. But it wasn't until 2000 that all states honored the government holiday.

Efforts from King's widow, Coretta Scott King, singer Stevie Wonder, lawmakers, activists and others also helped to bring the holiday to fruition, USA TODAY reports.

Why and how do we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

The federal holiday honors the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights leader who dedicated his life to speaking out against injustice, inequality, poverty and war. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the holiday is usually celebrated with marches, parades, speeches by civil rights leaders and politicians, volunteering, and special programming at museums and other cultural institutions nationwide.

MLK Day is the only federal holiday that is "designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer and improve their communities," per the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

In Cincinnati, the Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition will host the 49th annual Freedom March on Jan. 15, beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, located at 50 E. Freedom Way in The Banks. The march will conclude at Washington Park with a special program at Music Hall, 1241 Elm St. in Over-the-Rhine.

The theme of the 2024 program is "Love, Power, and Justice." It will include musical performances and speeches from Bishop Ennis F. Tait, Rickell Howard Smith, and former Judge Fanon A. Rucker, per the event's website.

Contributing: Marina Pitofsky, Kristin Lam, Joshua Bote and Mary Bowerman; USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: When is MLK Day 2024? What to know, including why we celebrate