It was first proposed four days after King's 1968 assassination outside a Memphis motel. It took 15 years until it became a federal holiday.

"While others were advocating for freedom by 'any means necessary,' including violence, Martin Luther King Jr. used the power of words and acts of nonviolent resistance, such as protests, grassroots organizing, and civil disobedience to achieve seemingly impossible goals," according to The King Center.

The government shuts down the third Monday in January to honor Martin Luther King Jr., also known as MLK Day. This year that day is Jan. 20. This year Jan. 20 will be both Donald Trump's Inauguration Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day. According to USA ...

Monday, Jan. 20, marks the federal holiday honoring the life and birthday of iconic civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who dedicated his life to speaking out against ...

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the federal holiday honoring the life and birthday of an icon of America's civil rights movement, is this month. The holiday, observed annually on the third Monday of ...

Every year we honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. in January. Here's everything you need to know about the holiday.