The history behind Martin Luther King Day
This year, the celebration coincides with the presidential inauguration, held on January 20, a date established by the adoption of the Twentieth Amendment in 1933.

Martin Luther King Day coincides this year 2025 with the inauguration of President-elect, Donald J. Trump.
The celebrations coincide because Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed on the third Monday in January. As for the swearing-in of the president, Congress had originally established March 4 as Inauguration Day. The date was moved to January 20 with the passage of the Twentieth Amendment in 1933.
What is the history behind Martin Luther King Day?
Americans remember Martin Luther King, Jr. for his leadership for civil rights and his fight against racial inequality. His most remembered speech was "I have a Dream," given before more than 200,000 people in Washington, D.C.
In order not to forget his message and to keep it in mind throughout the country once a year, since 1986, every third Monday in January is celebrated as Martin Luther King Day. Although established as a national holiday, the idea was to celebrate the man by doing everything but staying home. It is a day meant to help others, filled with service and volunteerism. The tradition took root another famous King quote, "What are you doing for others?".
Some states, like Illinois, were ahead of the country as a whole and instituted the holiday a little earlier. In 1979, with the goal of uniting all 50 stars in celebration, Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) and Sen. Edward Brooke (R-MA) introduced a bill.
Despite the enthusiasm, the bill fell short by five votes in the lower chamber. The reasons? Its detractors cited the economic cost of the holiday and doubts about a national holiday intended for a private citizen (who never held public office). President Ronald Reagan himself leered at the national holiday option, adding to the concerns of the first group.
Meanwhile, the King Center used the momentum to rally more citizen and business support for its cause. Six million signatures and Stevie Wonder were enough for Capitol Hill to decide to take up the legislation again. The singer even composed the song "Happy Birthday" to lobby the Senate.
""I just never understood how a man who died for good could not have a day that would be set aside for his recognition," he sang with widow Coretta Scott in 1983.
That same year, the bill, now authored by Katie Hall, passed the House 338-90 (242-4 in the House Democratic Caucus and 89-77 in the Republican Caucus). The Senate voted on October 19 yielding a 78-22 favorable result (41-4 in the Democratic Caucus and 37-18 in the Republican Caucus). With both margins exceeding the floor for a veto, Reagan took the presidential pen and enacted the law, which went into effect in 1986, accompanied by King's family members.
"We are here today to honor a man who dedicated his life to the pursuit of a dream. And now, we'll sign the proclamation honoring the 59th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr.'s birth", said the president at the White House.
Of course, not all states were happy with the holiday, so they appealed to combine this new holiday with other holidays. This ended in 2000, when South Carolina became the last state to recognize the day as a paid holiday for all state employees.