Community Corner
What's Open, Closed On MLK Day 2021 In Cumming
Whether it's the library or city hall, here's a look at what's open in Cumming on MLK Day 2021.
CUMMING, GA — Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a national holiday honoring the civil rights leader and his legacy, falls on Monday, Jan. 18 this year, and a variety of services will be closed in Cumming on the day.
King's birthday is Jan. 15, but the federal holiday celebrating the civil rights leader is observed on the third Monday of January each year.
King was an advocate for nonviolent social change and the most famous leader of the civil rights movement. His essays and speeches continue to inform discussions and education around race and civil rights.
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Here's a breakdown of how the holiday could impact your routine:
- Forsyth County government offices will be closed Monday. This includes county offices, the animal shelter, Senior Services, the three recreation centers and the three recycling convenience centers.
- Forsyth County Schools will be closed Monday.
- All Forsyth County Library locations will be closed Monday.
- Municipal offices and all other non-essential City of Cumming facilities and departments Cumming will be closed Monday.
- This is a federal holiday and all U.S. Postal Service post offices will be closed Monday, Jan. 18. No mail will be delivered or sent. Regular business hours will resume Tuesday, Jan. 19.
- All banks will be closed.
- Publix and Kroger stores will be open.
The history of the MLK holiday in America is a complicated one.
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Almost immediately after King's assassination in 1968, activists began pushing for a holiday celebrating his Jan. 15 birthday. However, the official national holiday wasn't signed into law until 1983 by President Ronald Reagan.
The first federal MLK Day was observed on the third Monday of January in 1986, but many states held out. Arizona didn't recognize the day until 1992, when the state lost its rights to host the Super Bowl after voters in Arizona failed to make the day a paid holiday.
The last state to adopt the holiday? New Hampshire, in 1999.
Know of any other businesses that will be closed? Post in the comments below to let us know.
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