Are banks open on MLK Jr Day? What to know about the holiday

Communities across Michigan will celebrate the legacy of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. Monday, Jan. 19, while state and federal offices, and some businesses close for the day.

The late Black preacher and activist, assassinated in 1968, is recognized annually with a federal holiday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, on the third Monday of January, Jan. 19. For MLK Day, the King Center in Atlanta is promoting the 2026 theme, “Mission Possible II: Building Community, Uniting a Nation the Nonviolent Way,” according to its website.

“This theme is more than a banner; it’s a blueprint for action. It guides our programming, fuels our outreach, and anchors our commitment to building the Beloved Community; a world where injustice ends, violence is replaced by compassion, and love becomes the prevailing force,” the King Center’s website says.

Here’s what to know ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

When is MLK Jr. Day in 2026?

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. The federal holiday falls on the third Monday in January each year.

How are Michigan communities celebrating?

Here are events to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Michigan:

• MLK Day Rally in Detroit: The 23rd annual MLK Day Rally will take place at noon Jan. 19 at St. Matthew’s & St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church in Detroit. The event will feature a rally and march fighting for democracy and human rights, followed by a community meal, per the website.
• MLK Day in Lansing: The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Mid-Michigan will host its 41st annual A Day of Celebration at 11 a.m. Jan. 19 at the Lansing Center in Lansing. The event will feature civil rights activist Diane Nash as a featured speaker and Michigan Supreme Court Justice Kyra Harris Bolden as the keynote speaker.
• MLK Day with Michigan United: Michigan United will host an MLK Day celebration, “My Freedom. My Resistance. Our America,” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 19 at the Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit. The event will feature Genetta Y. Hatcher, pastor of The Room Church, as its keynote speaker.
• MLK Day in Traverse City: Traverse City’s annual MLK Day of Service will include free events Jan. 19 at the Commongrounds Building and The Alluvion in Traverse City, sponsored by Building Bridges with Music. With a poetry theme, the lineup will feature written and performed student poetry, live music, art workshops, free lunch, a youth poetry slam and evening performance by Detroit Poet Laureate Jessica Care Moore.
• MLK Day at U-M: The University of Michigan will host its 40th annual MLK Symposium, with a lineup of events across the Ann Arbor campus Jan. 19. The Keynote Memorial Lecture will feature as speakers Donzaleigh Abernathy, an actress, author and civil rights activist, and NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson at 10 a.m. at the Hill Auditorium.
• MLK Day Lecture in Grand Rapids: The Grand Rapids Public Library will host a public lecture, “Integrating into a Burning House, Martin’s Great Fear and the Challenge Before Us,” featuring Randal Maurice Jelks, a professor, author and documentary film producer for MLK Day. The event will take place from 6:30-8 p.m. Jan. 19 at the Main Library in Grand Rapids.
• MLK Day Regional Celebration in Saginaw: The 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Celebration hosted by Saginaw Valley State University will take place at 7 p.m. Jan. 22 at Malcolm Field Theatre, Curtiss Hall on the campus in Saginaw. The event will feature keynote speaker Cynthia “Cynt” Marshall, a business executive and author, and will be open to the public.
• MLK Day of Service: A MLK Day of Service in Detroit will include food distribution, wheelchair ramp construction, hot meals, health screenings, youth activities and a resource fair with free giveaways Jan. 19. The event will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kemeny Recreation Center in Detroit.

Is MLK Jr Day a federal holiday?

Yes, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday in the U.S. All federal offices, including courts, post offices, social security offices and others, will be closed.

Is Martin Luther King Jr Day a state holiday in Michigan?

Yes, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a state holiday in Michigan. State offices, such as the Secretary of State, will be closed and state employees will get the day off.

Will banks be open on MLK Jr Day?

No. MLK Day is a federal holiday, so banks and credit unions will be closed. ATMs at banks should remain operable.

Will schools be open?

No, public schools and colleges will be closed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in observance of the public holiday.

How did MLK Jr Day come about?

Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a federal holiday on Nov. 2, 1983, when President Ronald Reagan signed the King Holiday Bill into law, according to the National Museum of African American History & Culture.

Efforts to establish a federal holiday in honor of King began shortly after his assassination in 1968, with civil rights activists pushing for 15 years for the holiday, according to the museum.

Once MLK Jr. Day took effect in 1983, it was another 17 years before all 50 states recognized the federal holiday.

Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.