Martin Luther King Jr Day Closed Sign. The day, also celebrating king's birthday, honors his legacy and shines a light on civil rights. King was assassinated in april 1968 on a motel balcony in memphis.
Day, sign up for a free, live virtual class on the civil rights movement.
Martin luther king day became a federal holiday in 1983 when president ronald reagan signed the bill into law. His grandfather began the family's long tenure as pastors of the ebenezer baptist church in atlanta, serving from 1914 to 1931; Signed into law by president ronald reagan on nov. King was assassinated in april 1968 on a motel balcony in memphis.