Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a United States federal holiday in 1983, and it was first observed nationwide on January 20, 1986.

Key dates

  • Holiday approved : Congress passed legislation creating Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday in 1983, and President Ronald Reagan signed it into law on November 2, 1983.
  • First national observance : The holiday was first celebrated across the country on the third Monday in January, January 20, 1986.

Extra context

  • The idea for the holiday emerged soon after King’s assassination in 1968, but opposition in Congress delayed approval for about 15 years.
  • Some states resisted or renamed the holiday, and it was not officially observed in all 50 states until 2000.

TL;DR : Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a federal holiday in 1983 and was first celebrated nationwide in 1986.

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