1 of 1
Story summary
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed on the third Monday of January to honor King's legacy of equality and justice.
- The holiday's establishment faced challenges after Rep. John Conyers proposed it soon after King's 1968 assassination.
- Public sentiment shifted by the 1980s, and Congress passed the 1983 legislation signed into law by Ronald Reagan.
- Arizona reinstated the holiday in 1992 after significant protests.
- Today the day emphasizes community service nationwide.
