Monday, January 19, 2026, marks the 40th official observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in America.
Legislation to create the holiday was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on November 2, 1983. The first nationwide federal celebration did not take place until January 20, 1986.
Not all states recognized it as a paid holiday until 2000, when South Carolina became the final state to recognize the day, making it a true national celebration.
On this 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the recognition of Dr. King’s legacy carries a weight not felt in decades. As we observe this milestone, we are reminded that civil rights are not self-sustaining or a permanent victory, but a continuous struggle that requires active defense against modern rollbacks and attacks. We must protect our daily.
Dr. King famously said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”. In an era where marginalized communities face new barriers and challenges, from housing discrimination to restriction of voting rights, loss of healthcare, dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Disability rights advocates raising the alarm over several changes enacted by the current administration which negatively impact Americans with disabilities such as rolling back workplace protections to hollowing out the federal oversight of the Education Department which was designed to protect students who are disabled. Let us not forget the Department of Energy’s proposed rule to eliminate the physical accessibility requirements for new buildings constructed or altered with federal funds. This move will rescind Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 a Civil Rights Law that prohibits discrimination based on disability in programs and activities receiving federal funds.
There is also the defunding of gender affirming care, mental health cuts to specialized LGBTQ+ youth services, not to mention the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits on December 31, 2025, which will lead if continued to loss of healthcare insurance, for an estimated 4 – 5 million Americans due to premium spikes. This is why we must remember the importance of Dr. King’s holiday.
By honoring Dr. King, we do more than celebrate a historical figure; we recommit to the hard work of equity and solidarity at a time when the moral foundation of the nation is being actively tested like never before. Today, Dr. King’s I Have a Dream Speech is just as powerful today as it was in 1963. We are all in this together.
Please see the video link below of “I Have a Dream Speech”, by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Delivered on August 28, 1963, during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C., (17:17 minutes).