Nation Celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day Amid Divisive Political Climate

Despite a Cold Winter Storm, Americans Honor Civil Rights Leader's Legacy with Acts of Service and Calls for Continued Advocacy for Equality

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday since 1983, was celebrated across the nation with various events, including prayer services, parades, and acts of service. The holiday falls on the third Monday of January, this year coinciding with King's actual birthday, January 15.
Despite the national recognition, the journey to establish the holiday was fraught with challenges, taking nearly 20 years after King's assassination in 1968 for the day to become federally recognized, and until 2000 for all 50 states to observe it.
Several speakers at the 56th annual commemorative service for King at historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta touched on the divisive partisan climate in the United States, urging citizens to stand up and vote.
More than 1,000 streets are named after Martin Luther King Jr. around the world, with at least 955 in the U.S. alone, according to estimates by Derek Alderman, a professor of Geography at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Despite the celebrations, a dangerously cold winter storm limited some planned activities, with the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis announcing closure due to icy roads.