Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Inauguration Day overlap for the third time in the history of the United States.
Citizens across the country are in high spirits as they recall the efforts and sacrifices of Martin Luther King Jr., who was actually born Michael King Jr.
He was a legendary civil rights activist and a preacher who made it his cause to fight for equality and justice through nonviolence and civil disobedience.
Across the U.S., the third Monday of January is deemed a federal holiday, honoring Martin Luther King Jr.’s efforts and sacrifices towards democracy and the fight against racism.
This holiday also falls on January 20, which is Inauguration Day, as many citizens eye the return of President Donald Trump to the White House.
Presidential inaugurations have been scheduled for January 20 since 32nd President Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in 1937. Decades ago, Inauguration Days were set in early March before technology sped up vote certification and travel to Washington.
Here are the two times in history that MLK Day and Inauguration Day have seen the overlap.
Bill Clinton 1997 and Barack Obama 2013
MLK Day and Inauguration Day had only coincided twice in U.S. history in the 1997 second inauguration of Bill Clinton and the 2013 second inauguration of Barack Obama.
Intriguingly, the federal holiday also falls on the second Inauguration of President Donald Trump this year. Trump’s inauguration is held on Monday, January 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
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The main reason for the presidential inauguration is to swear in the next president and vice president of the United States. As outlined by the National Archives, the U.S. Constitution has specific guidelines for electing and appointing a new president.
“The Constitution requires that … the president-elect, before taking charge of the office, swear an oath of office to ‘preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,'” the document reads.
MLK Day became a federal holiday in 1983 and is observed on the third Monday of January, recognized in all 50 states since 2000.
Inauguration Day was originally held on March 4 until the 20th Amendment moved it on January 20. It was dubbed the “lame duck” amendment and addressed the prolonged transition period between election and governance.
According to a USA TODAY report, its author, Nebraska Sen. George Norris, argued that advancements in communication and travel made the lengthy delay unnecessary.
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The amendment was finally ratified in January 1933 following six attempts after being introduced in 1922. These two significant U.S. days will not coincide again for another 28 years until January 2053 due to calendar changes.
For citizens, the day presents a time to reflect on Martin Luther King Jr’s legacy and impact, but also an opportunity for a fresh start under the leadership of President Donald Trump.
