Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday honoring the life and legacy of the iconic civil rights leader.
This year's MLK Day also falls on Inauguration Day for President-elect Donald Trump, marking only the second time in 28 years that these federal observances align. The last time the two dates overlapped was during President Bill Clinton's second inauguration in January 1997, which also included both inauguration events and MLK Day commemorations.
Trump's inauguration ceremony will be held indoors on Monday due to the freezing cold temperatures forecast in Washington, D.C. This has been done by a handful of presidents over the years due to frigid temperatures.
Is There Trash Pickup on MLK Day?
No. Most waste management services do not operate on MLK Day. Service will likely be pushed back a day, so pickup will likely be on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.
What You Can Do
Check with your local waste management provider for specific details. Rumpke and Waste Management have a "Find Your Holiday Schedule" section on their websites where users can enter their ZIP code to see how their area will be affected.
Sanitation departments for major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston, also list similar information on their websites.
Why Isn't There Trash Pickup on MLK Day?
Since MLK Day is a federal holiday, federal offices, including courts, post offices, Social Security offices, and others, will also be closed.
Other federal holidays include:
- New Year's Day
- Presidents' Day
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- July 4th
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day/Italian Heritage Day/Indigenous People's Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
History of MLK Jr. Day
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. His death sparked nationwide mourning and a push to honor his contributions to civil rights and social justice.
Representative John Conyers, a Michigan Democrat, introduced legislation for a federal holiday shortly after King Jr.'s death. The bill did not gain immediate traction, partly due to opposition from lawmakers over the cost of a new federal holiday.
After years of lobbying, President Ronald Reagan signed the bill into law on November 2, 1983. The holiday was set to be observed on the third Monday in January, near King Jr.'s birthday on January 15.
The first official Martin Luther King Jr. Day was celebrated on January 20, 1986.
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