1970 January 15 Though the day is not yet a national holiday, the anniversary of the birth of Martin Luther King Jr. is celebrated with impressive ceremonies, eulogies, and church services in many parts of the country. Public schools are closed in many cities; in others, they are kept open for formal study of Dr. King's work and utterances. In Atlanta, Coretta King dedicates the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center, which includes his home, the Ebenezer Baptist Church, and the crypt where his remains are housed.