How many states do not celebrate MLK Day? Who declared MLK Day a holiday?

While Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday, it is not a mandatory holiday for all schools in the United States. The decision to observe the holiday is typically made at the state or local level.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a U.S. federal holiday that honors the life and legacy of the civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr who led many campaigns and marches for desegregation, voting rights, economic equality, and peace.  The first nationwide observance was in 1986.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not celebrated by all states in the U.S. As of 2024, three states do not observe the holiday: Arizona, Mississippi, and South Carolina. These states have their own reasons for not recognizing the holiday, such as budget constraints, historical disputes, or alternative celebrations.

However, some cities and counties within these states do celebrate the holiday locally. The person who declared Martin Luther King Jr. Day a federal holiday was President Ronald Reagan. He signed the bill into law on November 2, 1983, after it was passed by Congress with overwhelming support.

Reagan initially opposed the idea of creating a new federal holiday, but he changed his mind after facing public pressure and political lobbying from both parties. He said in his signing statement: \”This is not a black holiday; it is a people’s holiday\”.