This annual holiday falls on the third Monday in January each year in honor of Dr. King’s birth on January 15^th, 1929. The campaign to make this a national holiday began shortly after his assassination in 1968 but was not approved as a national holiday until 1983. It then took 17 more years for it to be recognized by all 50 states. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is often referred to as a “day on, not a day off” because this day is intended as a National Day of Service. Consider getting involved with volunteer opportunities in your area.