Trump’s inauguration falls on MLK Day. That overlap is pretty rare
Federal holidays collide in a rare overlap on Monday, which is both Inauguration Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
President-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration is just the third time a president will take the oath of office on the day dedicated to honoring the late civil rights leader. Former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama both did so during their second inaugurations, in 1997 and 2013.
The two events aren’t expected to coincide again until January 2053, due to their particular requirements and quirks of the calendar.
MLK Day — which was approved as a federal holiday in 1983 and has been recognized in all 50 states since 2000 — always takes place on the third Monday in January, because it falls near his Jan. 15 birthday.
Inauguration Day has been held on Jan. 20th since the passage of the 20th Amendment in 1933.
Presidents had previously taken their oaths in early March because of how long it took to tabulate votes and travel to D.C., creating a long lame-duck period that Congress was eager to shorten once technological advancements allowed. In 1937, Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first president inaugurated on Jan. 20.
In years where Jan. 20 falls on a Sunday, a private swearing-in ceremony is held that day followed by a public ceremony on Jan. 21 — as was the case with Obama’s second inauguration.
Obama took the oath of office that year using a Bible that had belonged to King himself.
Some Trump critics see irony in the overlap
Because Monday is a federal holiday, entities like the U.S. Postal Service, banks and many schools will be closed.
There are plenty of ways for Americans to stay busy, however, from watching Trump’s swearing-in to streaming the King Center’s commemorative service. People may also want to volunteer in their community, as MLK Day is designated a day of service.
Trump’s inauguration schedule does not appear to include any MLK-specific events.
The incoming president has drawn criticism for comparing himself to King. In a news conference in August, he falsely claimed that his rally on Jan. 6, 2021, drew a bigger crowd than King’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech at the 1963 March on Washington.
“When you look at the exact same picture … of his crowd, my crowd, we actually had more people,” Trump said. “They said I had 25,000 and he had a million people, and I’m okay with it, because I liked Dr. Martin Luther King.”
Some Democratic lawmakers and Black activists are planning to skip or tune out Trump’s inauguration in favor of MLK Day.
Some have pointed to Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric, including talk of political retribution, and policy stances — such as promises of mass deportations — that they say are at odds with King’s message and legacy.
“I plan to spend the weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in my district at community events that feed our collective soul and re-commit us to building a future rooted in love,” Massachusetts Rep. Ayana Pressley told member station GBH.
Unsure how to observe the day? King’s descendants have ideas
In response to posts calling for people to watch the MLK service instead of the inauguration, Bernice King — King’s daughter — took to Instagram last month to encourage people to pay attention to both.
“l certainly understand the desire to tune out rhetoric, ideology, and policies with which we passionately disagree and which contradict the spirit of the Beloved Community,” King wrote. “However, we must pay attention to what President-Elect Trump speaks on that day, even if by transcript and video later.”
People can’t address language and legislation if they are not strategic in their listening, she added, warning that “this is not the time for ignorance.”
King’s eldest son, Martin Luther King III — who endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election — also called for people to engage with the day, though didn’t explicitly address the inauguration.
“MLK Day is a reminder to move from reflection to action,” he tweeted, reposting an article about the overlapping dates. “My father’s legacy was rooted in service and action. My mother envisioned a ‘day on,’ not off — an opportunity to serve and engage in building the Beloved Community.”
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