Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2027

When is MLK Day?

MLK Day is the third Monday in January. The earliest possible date is January 15 and the latest is January 21. In 2027, the holiday is Monday, January 18, 2027; in 2028, it is Monday, January 17, 2028.

The holiday lands on King's actual birthday, January 15, only when that date is a Monday. Between 2020 and 2040, that happens in 2024, 2029 and 2035. The table at the bottom of this page shows the date for every year.

MLK Day can also share the date with the presidential inauguration. The public inauguration ceremonies of 1997, 2013 and 2025 all took place on MLK Day. See Inauguration Day for the next inauguration date.

Is MLK Day a federal holiday?

Yes. Federal law (5 U.S.C. 6103) lists the holiday as the "Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr." on the third Monday in January. It is one of the 11 annual federal holidays, and because it is always a Monday, it gives workers who have the day off a three-day weekend.

Every state observes the day, though not always under the same name. Alabama and Mississippi hold a combined state holiday on the same Monday that also honors Confederate general Robert E. Lee, who was born on January 19. Private employers decide for themselves whether to give the day off.

How MLK Day became a holiday

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. A Baptist minister, he led the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955–56, gave his "I Have a Dream" speech at the March on Washington on August 28, 1963, and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. He was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968.

Representative John Conyers of Michigan introduced a bill for a King holiday days after the assassination, but it took 15 years to pass. Coretta Scott King led the campaign, and Stevie Wonder's 1980 song "Happy Birthday" helped build public support. President Ronald Reagan signed the bill into law on November 2, 1983.

The first federal observance was on January 20, 1986. States adopted the holiday at different speeds, and it was not until 2000 that all 50 states observed it; that year, South Carolina became the last state to make it a paid holiday for state employees.

What's open and closed on MLK Day

• Government: federal offices are closed, as are most state and many local government offices.
• Mail: post offices are closed, and there is no regular mail delivery.
• Banks: Federal Reserve Banks are closed, and most banks and credit unions close too.
• Stock markets: the NYSE and Nasdaq are closed. The New York Stock Exchange has closed for MLK Day since 1998.
• Schools: many public school districts and colleges close; check your district's calendar.
• Stores and restaurants: most retailers, grocery stores and restaurants are open.

Because the holiday is always a weekday, it reduces the number of US business days in January; see January working days for the 2027 count. Schedules can change, so confirm with the specific office or business before you go.

MLK Day of Service

The King Holiday and Service Act of 1994, signed by President Bill Clinton, designated MLK Day as a national day of volunteer service. AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service, leads the effort and promotes it as "a day on, not a day off."

It is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service. Typical projects include volunteering at food banks, cleaning up parks and schools, collecting donations and organizing community events. Local volunteer centers and nonprofits usually post opportunities in the weeks before the holiday.

MLK Day dates 2020–2040

The table lists every MLK Day from 2020 to 2040 and how many days after King's January 15 birthday each one falls.

See all US dates on the January holidays page or print a January 2027 calendar.

Related

• January holidays
• January 15
• Inauguration Day
• Bank holidays
• Working days
• New Year's Day
• January 2027 calendar