On the third Monday of January schools, federal offices, post offices and banks in the U.S. close in celebration of the birth, the life and the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Nobel Prize

In 1964, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. received the Nobel Peace Prize. He was the youngest person at the time to receive the award, given for his efforts to end racial discrimination and segregation using nonviolent means.

King Day of Service

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'"

Each year, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on the King Holiday to serve their neighbors and communities.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans will remember Dr. King by participating in service projects in their communities, according to the MLK Day of Service website, which promotes the holiday as “A day On, not a day Off."

The Negro Revolution, 1963

Just as lightning makes no sound until it strikes, the Negro Revolution generated quietly. But when it struck, the revealing flash of its power and the impact of its sincerity and fervor displayed a force of a frightening intensity. Three hundred years of humiliation, abuse, and deprivation cannot be expected to find voice in a whisper. ~ Why We Can't Wait

MLK Peace Walk

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Peace Walk in Washington, DC is an annual event that includes marching bands, community organizations, businesses, government officials and agencies, as well as celebrities who lead the procession.