Martin Luther King Day is observed the third Monday of January — on January 20 in 2025. 

King was an influential civil rights leader — best known for his work on racial equality and ending racial segregation in the United States. His life and achievements are remembered and celebrated on this day.

Did You Know?

The concept of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a holiday was promoted by labor unions. After King’s death, U.S. Representative John Conyers and U.S. Senator Edward Brooke introduced a bill in Congress to make King’s birthday a national holiday. The bill first came to a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1979; however, it fell five votes short of the number needed for passage. At the time, only two other figures had national holidays honoring them: George Washington and Christopher Columbus.

President Reagan originally opposed the holiday, citing cost concerns. But on November 2, 1983, Reagan signed a bill, proposed by Representative Katie Hall, to create a federal holiday honoring King. The bill had passed the Senate by a count of 78 to 22, and the House of Representatives by 338 to 90. The holiday was observed for the first time on January 20, 1986. It’s observed on the third Monday of January rather than directly on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday because it follows the guidelines of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.

MLK Weekend of Service 2023 was a success! We had seven volunteer activities over three days with 150 volunteers. Even with some very rainy and windy weather, volunteers showed up and supported our community in the following ways:

• 30 bags of trash cleaned up off Hall St and Main St with the Youth Advisory Council
• Over 1,400 plastic eggs prepped for our community egg hunt in the spring
• 3,000 feet of ivy pulled from Cook Park
• 108 wheelbarrows of bark placed along Dirksen Park Nature Trail with the Tualatin Riverkeepers
• 780 boxes prepped, 80 boxes filled, and more! with Packed with Pride
• 10 trees planted in Cook Park

Thanks to all our Volunteers!!