Each year, Americans take time to reflect and celebrate the life of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. on the third Monday of January, in honor of his birthday on Jan. 15.
Since 1986, the national holiday has also meant a break from work and school for many. Most banks and schools will be closed, and many businesses may choose to close or reduce their hours.
This year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls on Monday, Jan. 20, along with the inauguration of president-elect Donald Trump.
Here’s what you can expect to be open and closed in the Lower Hudson Valley during MLK Day.
What is closed in New York on MLK Day 2025?
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All banks will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20
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Most public schools in the state will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20. Check your local district website for full school schedules.
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All federal offices, including courts, archives and the Department of Motor Vehicles, will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20
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Most state offices will be closed, including state and county courts, town halls and state and county executive offices.
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All post offices will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20, unless packages are delivered by USPS Priority Mail. The regular mail schedule will resume Tuesday.
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Private-owned shipping services like FedEx and UPS will have a limited, modified schedule on Monday, Jan. 20. Amazon will not ship packages on Monday, Jan. 20 and employees will observe a paid holiday.
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MTA trains, including Metro North, LIRR and NJ Transit lines will operate on modified schedules on Monday, Jan. 20. Check the MTA website or the TrainTime app for more information. Subways will operate on a regular schedule.
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Many public libraries in the Lower Hudson Valley will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20. However, hours may vary depending on location. Call your local library branch for specific hours.
Of interest: White Plains collector has MLK ‘Dream’ speech draft. Why the dream isn’t in it
What is open on Jan. 20, Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2025?
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Most grocery stores will be open on Monday, Jan. 20, but some stores may have modified schedules due to the holiday. Check your local store’s hours for any changes in schedule.
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Target, Walmart, Costco and other major retailers are expected to operate during regular hours on Monday, Jan. 20. However, some small businesses may modify their hours due to the holiday. Call or check online for individual store hours.
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Retail pharmacies such as Rite Aid, CVS and Walgreens are expected to operate during regular hours on Monday, Jan. 20. Call or check online for individual store hours.
Why do we celebrate MLK Day?
Martin Luther King Jr. Day became an observed national holiday Nov. 2, 1983, after 15 years of congressional battles to get a national day of recognition to honor the trailblazing civil rights leader.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was born Jan. 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Ga. He was the son of a Baptist pastor and later went on to become a Baptist pastor in his own right.
He was most well-known for helping facilitate peaceful protests and boycotts throughout Alabama, Georgia and other states enforcing Jim Crow segregation laws as head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
King became a household name after the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where he gave his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial to over 25,000 people.
The civil rights leader Martin Luther King (C) waves to supporters 28 August 1963 on the Mall in Washington DC during the “March on Washington”.
On April 4, 1968, King was assassinated on the balcony of a motel in Memphis, Tenn. Just four days after King’s death, Rep. John Conyers, D-Mi., introduced legislation to make Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday a national holiday.
According to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Conyers and the Congressional Black Caucus reintroduced the bill to Congress every year.
Year after year, the bill faced opposition in Congress and lacked votes to make it a law, but the initiative grew more popular with the American public.
In 1980, Stevie Wonder released the song “Happy Birthday,” which the Smithsonian said “served as an ode to King’s vision and a rallying cry for recognition of his achievements with a national holiday.”
Finally, in 1983, the bill passed with 338 to 90 votes in the House of Representatives. Senator Jesse Helms, R-N.C., again attempted to block the bill, but after two days of debates, the bill passed in the Senate and President Ronald Reagan signed the bill into law.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2025: What’s open and closed on Jan. 20?