Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls on the third Monday of January, near Dr. King's January 15 birthday. This countdown automatically targets the next one.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is on Monday, January 18, 2027, which is 219 days away. The live countdown above ticks down to the exact moment, to the second.
Campaigns for a King holiday began days after his assassination in 1968; President Reagan signed it into law in 1983 and it was first observed in 1986. By 2000, all fifty states recognized it.
MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service, with volunteer projects across the country honoring Dr. King's legacy.