Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day to commemorate and celebrate the life, work and legacy of the late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday observed on the third Monday of January each year, with this year's MLK Day taking place on Monday, January 19, 2026. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day set aside throughout the country to honor the memory of the iconic civil rights leader with parades, celebrations, community o