On January 20, 2025, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday will mark the “30th anniversary as a National Day of Service”. This day was established to “honor the life and legacy of Dr. King,” and to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.

Americans celebrated the first official Martin Luther King Day, which is the only federal holiday commemorating an African American, on “Monday, January 20, 1986”. In 1994, Congress designated the holiday as a “National Day of Service and marking the third Monday in January every year as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service - a "Day On, Not a Day Off."

Dr. King advocated for nonviolent resistance to overcome injustice as a means of lifting racial oppression. He created change with organized sit-ins, marches, and peaceful demonstrations that highlighted issues of inequality. Dr. King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964; he was the youngest person to ever receive this high honor. He followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and father by entering the ministry to become a Baptist minister. On April 4, 1968, at the age of thirty-nine (39), he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee as he stood on the balcony of his hotel. Dr. King traveled to Memphis, Tennessee to lead a march in support of striking sanitation workers.

We remember Dr. King as a husband, father, friend, and “fierce advocate for the betterment of all people.” Honor his memory by organizing, volunteering, and spreading the word. Remember to “MAKE IT A DAY ON, NOT A DAY OFF,” for you and those around you.

The King Center leads the charge to provide education and training in Nonviolence365; while serving as the vital living memorial of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Global citizens will have unique opportunities to learn and unite in celebration of Dr. King’s groundbreaking work and Mrs. Coretta Scott King’s powerful continuation and formal institutionalization of that work through a variety of engaging events hosted by The King Center leading up to The King Holiday on January 20th, 2025.

The strategic theme for 2025 is ‘Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice, and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence365′. This theme defines the 2025 King Holiday Observance events and programming while serving as a compass for all the work we will do this upcoming calendar year and beyond. The pioneering work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. demonstrated that Kingian Nonviolence (Nonviolence365™) is the sustainable solution to injustice and violence in our world, ultimately leading to the creation of the Beloved Community, where injustice ceases, and love prevails.

What is Kingian Nonviolence?

Kingian Nonviolence is a philosophy of nonviolent conflict reconciliation, based on the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the organizing strategies he used during the Civil Rights Movement. It is a holistic view of conflict that includes the study and analysis of conflict (how to understand conflict), the Principles of Nonviolence (the values of a community), and the Steps of Nonviolence Conflict Reconciliation (how to address conflict and restore relationships). “The time is always right to do what is right” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

For additional information on Kingian Nonviolence, please click the link below:

https://nonviolentschoolsri.org/kingian-nonviolence

The King Center welcomes and invites you to join this movement for a new future as they strive to cultivate a Beloved Community Mindset and ultimately transform unjust systems.

For additional information from the King Center, please click the link below:

https://thekingcenter.org/king-holiday-2025/

For additional information on the life and history of Dr. Martin Luther King, please click the link below:

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.