The Martin Luther King Jr. statue as seen on Friday, Jan. 28, 2022, on Riverside’s downtown pedestrian mall. (File photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., born on Jan. 15, 1929, in Atlanta, was honored for his civil rights leadership when the United States Congress passed a bill in 1983 that designated the third Monday in January as a federal holiday. President Ronald Reagan signed the bill into law on Nov. 2, 1983.
The first official recognition of the MLK Jr. Day federal holiday was on Jan. 20, 1986, and Reagan’s presidential proclamation may be read here, along with more information about the holiday, including President Bill Clinton’s signing the King Holiday and Service Act on August 23, 1994: https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R44339
Government offices — Los Angeles city and county, national and state offices — and superior courts, libraries and schools — are normally closed for a federal holiday such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Los Angeles Unified School District schools are closed on Monday (achieve.lausd.net/calendar). For other Los Angeles County school districts, check your local district’s instructional 2025-2026 calendar for holidays.
Here is a sampling of other services that are closed or are on a regular schedule on Monday, Jan. 19.
Banks: Closed. Also, New York Stock Exchange markets are closed. (www.nyse.com/trade/hours-calendars).
Courts: Closed. Superior Court 2026 holidays, www.lacourt.ca.gov/holiday/ui/index.aspx
Libraries: Los Angeles Public Library locations are closed, www.lapl.org/holiday-closures
Los Angeles County Library locations are closed, lacountylibrary.org/
Mail: The U.S. Postal Service does not deliver regular mail, and post offices are closed. www.usps.com. Holidays 2026: about.usps.com/newsroom/events/
Transit: Buses and subway services in Los Angeles run on a regular schedule. Check this page for rail and bus schedules: www.metro.net/riding/schedules-2/. Metro’s home page: www.metro.net
Metrolink trains run on a regular schedule, metrolinktrains.com
Trash: The pickup schedule for Los Angeles Sanitation and Environment customers is on a regular schedule. For future holidays, on the website under the section “What We Do,” click on Collection, and then click on Holiday Trash Collection: tinyurl.com/mrm67jhp. 800-773-2489. In addition, see the LA Sanitation and Environment 2026 Service Calendar: tinyurl.com/3xfuu3tw. For other cities in Los Angeles County, consult your local company.