The holiday falls on the third Monday of January. A bill to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a federal holiday was introduced on April 8, 1968 — four days after King was assassinated, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

For some, the holiday is just that — time off from work or school. But, King’s family and others carrying on his legacy of equality, justice and non-violent protest want Americans to remember that this holiday is really about helping others.