Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Martin Luther King Jr Day is a US federal holiday on the third Monday of January honouring the life and work of Dr King. It is also observed as a national day of service, encouraging people to volunteer in their communities.

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Newsletter blurb

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On the third Monday of January, the US marks Martin Luther King Jr Day, honouring Dr King's leadership in the civil rights movement and his commitment to justice and equality. It is also a national day of service. If you are in the US and have the day off, consider spending part of it volunteering locally. Wherever you are, you might read or listen to one of his speeches in full rather than the familiar extracts. [link to volunteering options]

On the third Monday of January, the US marks Martin Luther King Jr Day, honouring Dr King's leadership in the civil rights movement and his commitment to justice and equality. It is also a national day of service. If you are in the US and have the day off, consider spending part of it volunteering locally. Wherever you are, you might read or listen to one of his speeches in full rather than the familiar extracts. [link to volunteering options]

Slack / Teams post

For the company channel on the day.

Monday is Martin Luther King Jr Day in the US, a day to reflect on Dr King's legacy and a national day of service. If you are volunteering or reading something that has stayed with you, we would love to hear about it here.

Monday is Martin Luther King Jr Day in the US, a day to reflect on Dr King's legacy and a national day of service. If you are volunteering or reading something that has stayed with you, we would love to hear about it here.

Talking points

For managers and team leads.

- Explain why the day matters and that it is a day of service, not just a day off. - Share any company volunteering options and make it easy to take part. - Make sure colleagues outside the US know US teams will be offline.

- Explain why the day matters and that it is a day of service, not just a day off.
- Share any company volunteering options and make it easy to take part.
- Make sure colleagues outside the US know US teams will be offline.

Tone note

How to pitch it.

Focus on Dr King's work and the ongoing pursuit of civil rights rather than generic quotes used as decoration. Avoid asking Black colleagues to speak or lead activities on behalf of others unless they choose to.

Focus on Dr King's work and the ongoing pursuit of civil rights rather than generic quotes used as decoration. Avoid asking Black colleagues to speak or lead activities on behalf of others unless they choose to.

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Newsletter content ideas

Here's what you could include in your internal newsletter around Martin Luther King Jr. Day:

Share Dr
King's enduring legacy and relevance today
Highlight company D&I initiatives
Feature employee reflections on leadership and service
Promote volunteer opportunities in the community

Subject line ideas

Try these subject lines to boost open rates:

Martin Luther King Jr. Day: What we're doing this year
It's Martin Luther King Jr. Day — here's how you can get involved
This week: Martin Luther King Jr. Day + team news
18 January: Martin Luther King Jr. Day at [Company]

How to feature this in your newsletter

Plan ahead — Add Martin Luther King Jr. Day to your content calendar at least 2 weeks before the date so you have time to gather content and images.
Choose your angle — Will you run a dedicated special edition, or include it as a section in your regular newsletter? Bigger events work well as specials; smaller ones fit into your weekly digest.
Involve your people — Ask employees to share their stories, experiences, or ideas related to Martin Luther King Jr. Day. User-generated content always gets higher engagement.
Include a call to action — Give readers something to do: attend an event, share a message, learn something new, or donate to a cause.

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Related dates

Mar

International Women's Day

International Women's Day on 8 March celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and calls for progress on gender equality. It is marked around the world by organisations, communities and governments.

Jun

Pride Month

Pride Month takes place throughout June and celebrates LGBTQ+ people and communities. It commemorates the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York, and many UK Pride events run through the summer.

Jun

Juneteenth

Juneteenth on 19 June commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas were told they had been freed. It is now a US federal holiday, observed on the nearest weekday when it falls at a weekend.

Jun

World Refugee Day

World Refugee Day on 20 June is a United Nations day that honours people forced to flee their homes because of conflict or persecution. It recognises their strength and the contributions they make to their communities.

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