what to do on mlk day

You can treat MLK Day as both a day off and a day on for reflection, learning, and service, mixing something meaningful with whatever pace your life is at right now.

Meaning of MLK Day

• MLK Day is a U.S. federal holiday on the third Monday in January honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s work for civil rights, voting rights, and nonviolent social change.

• It has increasingly become a “day of service,” encouraging people to support and strengthen their communities through volunteer work and civic engagement.

Things to Do in Your Community

• Attend local commemorations like parades, marches, breakfasts, concerts, or official state events; many cities and states host free programs, speeches, and performances that highlight King’s legacy.

• Look for “MLK Day of Service” projects in your area, such as food banks, neighborhood cleanups, school supply drives, or housing-repair efforts run by community groups, faith organizations, or city governments.

Things to Do on Your Own or at Home

• Watch a documentary or film about the civil rights movement, then journal about what parallels you see with today’s issues in voting rights, policing, or economic inequality.

• Read or listen to King’s speeches and writings—like “I Have a Dream” or “Letter from Birmingham Jail”—and pick one specific idea you might apply in your relationships, school, or workplace.

Ways to Honor the Spirit of the Day Online

• Share a verified quote from Dr. King with context and a resource link (for example, to a local volunteer hub or civil rights organization), instead of a generic inspirational post.

• Avoid salesy or jokey content; thoughtful posts that acknowledge his legacy and point people to real action (education, donations, service) are seen as more respectful and less performative.

Ideas If You Have Kids, Friends, or a Group

• Organize a small “learning circle” where you read a short King excerpt or watch a speech together, then discuss what justice, equality, or nonviolence would look like in your own community right now.

• Combine something hands-on (like making care kits, writing to local officials, or planning a small project for later in the year) with reflection, so the day feels like the start of ongoing engagement rather than a one-off.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.