Martin Luther King Day was signed into law as a federal holiday in 1983 — 15 years after it was first proposed. It was not recognized as a holiday by all 50 states until 2000. The day is observed each year to recognize the accomplishments and contributions Dr. King made to American history and civil rights and to honor his life of service to the American people. Celebrated around the country as “a day on,” it is the only federal holiday officially designated as a call to all Americans to provide service to their communities.
National Day of Service