Monday, January 21 marks the celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. All across the country, schools and businesses alike are closed to acknowledge the late civil rights activist’s amazing life and legacy, and the lasting impact he made on America. But with so many companies and businesses closing their doors on this day, many are wondering: Will there be mail services on MLK Day?
As reported by Time Money , Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was made into a federal holiday way back in 1986. Since then, Americans have taken the third Monday of every January to celebrate King and how he changed the world. As it is a federal holiday, that means all non-essential federal employees have a day off on Monday. Generally speaking, government offices are also closed during this time.
So if you’re expecting mail today, should you keep an eye on the mailbox? Probably not. MLK Day is also a postal holiday, meaning all the post offices are closed until Tuesday. As such, the U.S. Postal Service will not be delivering any mail or packages today. Regular service is expected to resume on Tuesday after the holiday has ended.
But that doesn’t mean deliveries aren’t being made at all — in fact, many delivery companies are treating Monday as business as usual, despite the federal holiday. UPS and FedEx are both working today and will be delivering packages regardless of the holiday’s impact on standard mail. They’re also offering most of their regular services today, so if you have to make a delivery that just can’t wait until tomorrow, they might be able to help you out.
The Social Customer Response Center will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, January 21. Normal business hours will resume Tuesday, January 22. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” –Dr. Martin Luther King pic.twitter.com/3tvw0Je7o1
— USPS Help (@USPSHelp) January 19, 2019
Although the mail situation is pretty standard for a federal holiday, this particular MLK Day is a little different due to one big factor: the ongoing government shutdown. With hundreds of thousands of federal employees furloughed during the shutdown, there are quite a few spots that are closed today that would otherwise be open to the public.
Many historical spots, like museums that honor Martin Luther King, Jr., are federally funded — meaning they’ve been impacted as a result of the government shutdown. Tourists attempting to visit and honor the fallen civil rights leader should check beforehand to see if the spots are open, or if they’ve been closed until the shutdown is resolved.
Both the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and the Tuskegee Airman National Historic Site have been closed for the duration of the shutdown and will stay closed even on MLK Day. It has now been over a month since the shutdown began.
