Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which honors the life and legacy of the civil rights leader, is the next federal holiday to be celebrated in 2026, now that New Year’s Day has come and gone.
The holiday is always celebrated on the third Monday in January, close to King’s actual birthday on Jan. 15, 1929. Because of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968, federal holidays are observed on a Monday, allowing many Americans a three-day weekend.
The family of Martin Luther King Jr. spent years advocating for a federal holiday in honor of the civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner after he was assassinated in 1968.
On Nov. 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan established the holiday after signing a bill into law that established the commemoration. The first federal MLK holiday was celebrated in 1986, meaning 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of its first observance. It wasn’t until 2000 that all 50 states officially recognized it in their state laws.
The civil rights leader is the only non-president to have a federal holiday in their honor. This year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is on Monday, Jan. 19.
If you’re a federal worker and your job is not deemed necessary to work on a federal holiday, then you will have the day off with pay. But if you work for a private company or business, it’s up to your employer.
What other federal holidays are there in 2026?
If a federal holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, it will be observed on the preceding or following weekday. According to the Office of Personnel Management, these are the federal holidays in 2026:
Monday, Jan. 19: Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday
Monday, Feb. 16: George Washington’s birthday (Presidents’ Day)
Monday, May 25: Memorial Day
Friday, June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day
Friday, July 3: Independence Day observed
Monday, Sept. 7: Labor Day
Monday, Oct. 12: Columbus Day
Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day
Thursday, Nov. 26: Thanksgiving Day
Friday, Dec. 25: Christmas Day
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