What is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the United States? When is it celebrated, and why?

As one of the most important holidays in the United States, Martin Luther King Day (also called MLK Day) celebrates the birthday and life of Martin Luther King, Jr.—a slain civil rights leader and a strong voice in nonviolent social movements.

Find out more about this great U.S. historical figure and the holiday which seeks to commemorate him.

1. Why Should You Know About Martin Luther King, Jr. Day?

Learning about United States holidays is one of the first steps in understanding its culture and the history that made the country what it is. Each country has people and historical figures it celebrates, and the United States is no exception.

Why do we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day?

Martin Luther King, Jr. is considered one of the most important historical figures in the United States, and for good reason. Not only did he dedicate his life to social reform in the country, but he did so in a peaceful and respectful manner, serving as an example of how a quiet voice can create a loud echo.

He fought to end discriminatory laws, especially against people of color; he gained followers, and ultimately served as one of the greatest voices in the civil rights movement against discrimination. In particular, he sought to provide African Americans with rights they hadn’t known before.

The United States truly wouldn’t be as free and open a land as it is today without this man, and so we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday each year.

2. What is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day?

Martin Luther King Day is the celebration of this great figure’s birthday, as well as the commemoration of all he accomplished for the rights of colored people in the United States.

But is MLK Day a national holiday?

This is a federal holiday, meaning that most schools and places of business are closed. It’s a day to observe the sacrifices made and the example set forth by Martin Luther King, Jr.

3. When is MLK Day?

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day takes place on the third Monday of January as this is close to his January 15 birthday.

For your convenience, here’s a list of MLK Day’s date for the next ten years:

• 2019: January 21
• 2020: January 20
• 2021: January 18
• 2022: January 17
• 2023: January 16
• 2024: January 15
• 2025: January 20
• 2026: January 19
• 2027: January 18
• 2028: January 17

4. How is MLK Day Celebrated?

1- Is MLK Day a National Holiday?

While not a national holiday, MLK Day is observed in a variety of ways throughout the country, and its observation can vary from person to person.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a federal holiday in the United States, which means that the majority of schools are closed as well as some places of business. However, some schools see this as an opportunity to better inform students about Martin Luther King, Jr. and what he stood for, and decide to remain open with classes centered on this topic.

2- Martin Luther King Day of Service

In 1994, President Bill Clinton signed a document (the King Holiday and Service Act) which essentially asks United States citizens to use MLK Day as a day of charity and service.

In order to reflect the heart of service that King possessed, many people on this day choose to perform acts of service for others. This is often volunteer work, though it can take many forms.

One notable example of this is the Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service, where thousands are known to volunteer their time, energy, money, and goods for causes or charities they’re most passionate about.

3- Japan, Canada, Jerusalem, and The Netherlands

While Martin Luther King Junior day originated in the United States and is most widely celebrated here, there are a few other countries and cities which also choose to commemorate this day in some way.

• Hiroshima, Japan: This city celebrates MLK Day and seeks to point out similarities between its desire for peace and the life that King lived—what he stood for. The celebration is put on by its mayor, Tadatoshi Akiba.
• Toronto, Canada: In Toronto, Canada, this day is celebrated on a more personal level and businesses still remain open.
• Jerusalem: Jerusalem is a city which can relate to King and his ideals through the Bible; those who celebrate MLK Day in Jerusalem see a correlation between King’s assassination and the attempted murder of “the dreamer” Joseph in the Old Testament.
• Wassenaar, The Netherlands: The celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in Wassenaar, The Netherlands, is unique. Music is a large component of this day and the song “We Shall Overcome” is sung.

5. Must-Know Vocab for MLK Day

In order to celebrate Martin Luther King Day, here are some vocabulary words and phrases you should know:

• Martin Luther King, Jr.: The man behind the holiday.
• Activist: Someone who acts strongly for a particular cause.
• Freedom: Release from captivity; ability to live unhindered.
• Boycott: To completely stop using a certain product or buying from a certain company, usually because their beliefs or values differ greatly from one’s own.
• African American: Black citizens of the United States; peacefully Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for their rights.
• Human rights: The basic rights that it’s believed each person has, no matter who they are.
• Racial equality: People being treated equally, despite their race.
• Pastor: A church leader who usually gives sermons to the congregation and is in charge of various aspects of the church.
• Freedom Riders: People who rode on interstate buses in areas of the U.S. which were still segregated, as an act of opposition to these places’ failure to enforce non-segregation. They rode in groups of various races.
• Civil rights: Similar to human rights, though implementing a greater focus on ensuring that the government can’t take these rights away.
• I Have a Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr. gave a speech in 1963, called “I Have a Dream.” This is considered one of the most powerful speeches ever given; it focused on ending racism and allowing African Americans civil rights.
• The Sit-In Movement: Following in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s footsteps, many African American students used sit-ins as a nonviolent form of opposition and as a way of getting attention from the press. Essentially, they would go to a segregated location, ask for service, be denied, and refuse to leave after being denied.
• Racial segregation: Racial segregation involves people of different races being separated in daily life (e.g. in the United States, it used to be that white people rode on one part of the bus, and black people the other).
• Nonviolent resistance: Nonviolent resistance is a peaceful form of opposition, in which the opposing party or parties make a statement in a way that doesn’t harm anyone.
• Orator: An orator is a highly skilled public speaker, such as Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Nobel Peace Prize: The Nobel Peace Prize is a greatly commendable award given to someone who has established themself as a successful fighter for peace. King won this prize in 1964.
• The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom: This march took place in Washington, as a way of demanding more rights for African Americans; this is where King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech.
• Letter from a Birmingham Jail: This letter, written by King, is essentially an argument for nonviolent resistance.
• Civil disobedience: Noncompliance with laws, such as taxes, in order to peacefully resist.
• Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.: A holiday to celebrate the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr. each January.

To hear the pronunciation of each word, be sure to check out the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day vocab list on our website where you can listen to audio files with each word.

Conclusion

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day really is one of the most quintessential holidays in the United States as it marks a significant time for African Americans—a time when their voice was finally able to be heard and change began to take place for the better.

Martin Luther King, Jr. is honored for good reason; his involvement in progressing the civil rights movements for African Americans and his peaceful guidance towards racial equality continue to unravel today as the United States seeks equality in more ways than ever before.

To learn even more about U.S. culture, be sure to visit us at EnglishClass101.com! You’ll find an array of helpful blog posts, cultural information, and vocabulary lists. Also be sure to check out our MyTeacher app for a one-on-one language-learning experience!

We hope this article was helpful for you, and wish you the best of luck on your English-learning journey!