MLK Day

Each year on the third Monday in January, we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy as a civil rights leader and reflect on his call for equality, service, and compassion. MLK Day, observed as a National Day of Service, encourages all of us to turn reflection into action by strengthening our communities and serving others.

Each year on the third Monday in January, we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and celebrate his extraordinary legacy as a civil rights leader and activist.

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MLK Day has become known as “a day on, not a day off” – the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service. It calls on all Americans to honor Dr. King’s legacy by volunteering and working together to strengthen their communities.

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Dr. King challenged us to imagine a world where the content of one’s character mattered more than anything else – a world where freedom and opportunity were truly available to all. His legacy reminds us that building such a world requires both reflection and action.

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Here are a few meaningful ways to celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr:

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1. Educate yourself.

Make sure that you have a good understanding of why there is a day dedicated to MLK. Read some of King's books, read books about him written by Black authors, and take note of his letters.

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2. Do something good for someone.

It is a day of service, after all – but make sure that giving back to the community doesn't begin and end with January 16th. Simply start by searching for volunteer opportunities and finding those in need near you. The Corporation for National and Community Service allows you to search its database for local and national MLK Day volunteer opportunities.

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“Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.

‍- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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3. Watch films about MLK’s life.

Ava Duvernay's Selma is an excellent movie that shows us that King lived a life that was much more complex than many of us know.

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Other movies about MLK include:

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However you choose to celebrate MLK, we encourage you to take a moment to reflect on his timeless question: “What are you doing for others?” Whether that be through quiet acts of kindness, standing in solidarity with those in need, or striving for equity in your daily life, we all have the power to make a difference.