National parks cut free entry for MLK Day, add Trump’s birthday
Americans will get free admission to national parks on President Donald Trump’s birthday but no longer on Juneteenth and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth were removed from the National Park Service’s list of free entrance days for 2025.
- MLK Day is the next federal holiday. The day commemorates the life and work of the historic civil rights leader.
Martin Luther King Jr, Day, the holiday which honors the life and legacy of the civil rights leader who advocated to end racism and segregation, is the next federal holiday.
In 2025, the holiday commemorating King’s contributions to the Civil Rights movement was removed from the National Park Service’s free days — days when entrance fees are waived. Juneteenth, the holiday celebrating the end of slavery in the United States, was also removed.
In an apparent critique of Juneteenth, President Donald Trump said in a June 19 Truth Social post that non-working holidays are costing billions of dollars to keep businesses closed. Private companies, however, are not forced to close on federal holidays like Juneteenth.
Here’s what else to know.
Why did Trump remove MLK Day and Juneteenth from NPS free days?
President Donald Trump has made rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion a key priority of his second administration.
On Juneteenth 2025, Trump complained there were “too many non-working holidays,” though he did not name the holiday, USA TODAY reported.
In his Truth Social post, Trump criticized the number of federal holidays, which most federal workers have as paid holidays. There were 12 federal holidays in 2025; most federal holidays have been created by legislation passed through Congress.
Other dates that were previously included in the free entrance days but have been removed for 2026 are :
- April 19 (the first day of National Park Week)
- July 16 (Bureau of Land Management’s birthday)
- Aug. 4 (Great American Outdoors Day)
- Sept. 27 (National Public Lands Day)
- Oct. 12 (National Wildlife Refuge Week)
Is MLK Day still considered a federal holiday?
Yes, MLK Day is still a federal holiday.
Trump does not have the power to revoke a federal holiday without a congressional vote. The president can dictate annual national holidays, but not permanent federal holidays, according to Congress.
When is MLK Day?
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated on or near the renowned civil rights leader’s birthday. MLK Day is observed on the third Monday of January, so the specific date of the holiday changes from year to year.
In 2026, MLK Day falls on Jan. 19.
MLK Day observations in Nashville
There are dozens of events leading up to and on MLK Day in Nashville. Some include:
- Jan. 15: MLK Gala 2026 at the Hutton Hotel
- Jan. 19: 5th Anniversary Celebration at the National Museum of African American Music
- Jan. 19: MLK Youth Rally at Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church
- Jan. 19: Nashville MLK Day March at Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church
- Jan. 19: MLK Convocation at Tennessee State University
Contributing: Jordan Green, Allison Kiehl, USA TODAY
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for the Tennessean. Contact her at [email protected] or follow her on X at @_leyvadiana
