Fun facts about Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Holidays
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Rate this topic

Free. One surprising fact at a time, by email or push. No app needed.

Did you know? While the holiday is celebrated on the third Monday of January, it is not always on his actual birthday, January 15; the date was chosen as a compromise to follow the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, ensuring the day falls near his birthday while providing a long weekend.

Fact 1 of 27

27 facts about Martin Luther King Jr. Day

  1. 1
    For a short period in the 1980s, the holiday was bizarrely combined with other state-specific observances, such as Lee-Jackson-King Day in Virginia, which merged the birthday of Dr. King with Confederate generals.
  2. 2
    Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the only federal holiday in the United States that is designated as a national day of service, encouraging people to volunteer and improve their local communities.
  3. 3
    The bill for the holiday received so much support that it passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 338 to 90.
  4. 4
    Many people assume that because it is a federal holiday, all private businesses are legally required to close, but they are actually free to choose whether to open or stay shut.
  5. 5
    The holiday was created to honor Dr. King's work for equality and his leadership in the civil rights movement.
  6. 6
    Stevie Wonder wrote the hit song Happy Birthday specifically to help campaign for the holiday's creation.
  7. 7
    It is a weird coincidence that the holiday often falls close to the week of the presidential inauguration, causing scheduling headaches in Washington D.C.
  8. 8
    The holiday serves as a day where many museums offer free admission to teach the public about civil rights history.
  9. 9
    In the state of Utah, the holiday was once known as Human Rights Day before it was eventually changed to match the federal name.
  10. 10
    Some people celebrate the holiday by cooking Dr. King's favorite soul food meals, such as fried chicken and pecan pie.
  11. 11
    If you look at the legislative record, the bill to create the holiday was one of the most debated pieces of legislation in the 1980s.
  12. 12
    The federal legislation required the holiday to take effect on the third Monday of January, starting in 1986.
  13. 13
    It is surprisingly common for people to accidentally call the holiday Martin Luther King Day, leaving out the 'Jr.' entirely.
  14. 14
    The holiday is one of only four federal holidays that commemorate a specific person, joining Washington, Columbus, and Jesus Christ.
  15. 15
    The holiday is not exclusively a 'day off' but is intended by law to be a day of reflection and community improvement.
  16. 16
    The holiday is officially designated as a National Day of Service, encouraging people to volunteer in their local communities.
  17. 17
    Before it was a federal holiday, some cities and individual businesses began observing it on their own as early as 1971.
  18. 18
    President Ronald Reagan was initially opposed to the holiday but eventually signed it into law because of the overwhelming public support.
  19. 19
    In some parts of the country, the day is officially recognized as Civil Rights Day instead of specifically focusing on King.
  20. 20
    When the bill to create the holiday was voted on in the Senate, Senator Jesse Helms brought a 300-page binder to try to smear King's reputation to stop the vote.
  21. 21
    Some states used to combine the holiday with Robert E. Lee Day, creating a very awkward and conflicting celebratory calendar.
  22. 22
    Coretta Scott King, his widow, played the primary role in pushing for the holiday, treating it as a lifelong mission.
  23. 23
    Many people believe the holiday was created immediately after his death, but it took 15 years of intense legislative lobbying to make it happen.
  24. 24
    The holiday was first celebrated in 1986, which was nearly two decades after Dr. King's assassination.
  25. 25
    Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday, which means most post offices, banks, and public schools close down for the day to honor his work in the civil rights movement.
  26. 26
    In the early 1980s, the musician Stevie Wonder released a song called Happy Birthday to help campaign for the holiday, and it became an anthem that helped convince lawmakers to finally sign the bill into law.
Keep exploring

More in Holidays

Lunar New Year
Rate this topic
Holidays
Lunar New Year

If you sweep your floor on the first day of the Lunar New Year, you are believed to be sweeping away your own good luck and wealth for the coming year.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Rate this topic
Holidays
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

In the early years of the parade, the giant balloons were released into the sky at the end of the event; they were equipped with return addresses and offered rewards to anyone who found and mailed them back.

Mardi Gras
Rate this topic
Holidays
Mardi Gras

Although people often associate Mardi Gras with the entire two-week season, the term actually refers specifically to Fat Tuesday, which is the final day of celebration before the fasting season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday.

Memorial Day
Rate this topic
Holidays
Memorial Day

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day because people would decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with fresh spring flowers.

Mistletoe
Rate this topic
Holidays
Mistletoe

Mistletoe is actually a partial parasite that steals water and minerals from trees, meaning the plant we kiss under is technically a bit of a freeloader.

Mother's Day
Rate this topic
Holidays
Mother's Day

The founder of Mother's Day, Anna Jarvis, spent her later years campaigning to have the holiday removed from the calendar because she hated how commercialized it became.