Monday, Jan. 19, marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the second federal holiday of 2026, honoring the life and legacy of the civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner.
As a federal holiday, MLK Day brings widespread closures across government offices and financial institutions, while many retailers and private businesses remain open.
All non-essential federal government offices are closed today, including federal and state courts. State and local government offices typically follow suit, though some local services may vary. Sanitation services in many communities are also suspended for the day, with collections often delayed by a day for the remainder of the week.
Banks are closed in observance of the holiday. Major financial institutions, including Bank of America, Capital One, Citibank, PNC, Wells Fargo and Truist, are not operating today. Online and mobile banking services remain available, but in-branch services will resume Tuesday.
Mail delivery is also affected. The United States Postal Service is closed for MLK Day, with no regular mail delivery and no retail counter services. Normal operations resume Tuesday. UPS is also closed and will not deliver packages. FedEx, however, remains open and is delivering packages according to normal schedules, though some services may vary by location.
Unlike government offices and banks, most major retailers are open. Stores including Target, Walmart, and Macy’s are operating today, though customers are encouraged to check local hours, as schedules can differ by store.
Whether employees have the day off depends largely on individual workplace policies. While some companies observe MLK Day as a paid holiday, others operate as usual.
Beyond closures, the day is widely recognized with community events, service projects, educational programs and commemorations honoring King’s work and the broader civil rights movement. Many organizations encourage residents to treat MLK Day as a “day on, not a day off,” volunteering or participating in activities that promote equality and service.
MLK Day is observed annually on the third Monday of January, close to King’s Jan. 15 birthday, and is one of 12 federal holidays recognized nationwide each year.
Source: courier-journal.com