News Celebrities honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day Figures like Barack Obama took to Twitter to share quotes and stories about the iconic activist By Christian Holub Christian Holub Christian Holub is a writer covering comics and other geeky pop culture. He's still mad about 'Firefly' getting canceled. EW's editorial guidelines Published on January 15, 2018 11:05AM EST Photo: Santi Visalli/Getty images The third Monday in January is always one of the more unique holidays on the American calendar. In lieu of gifts or parties, Martin Luther King Jr. Day encourages participants to spend time thinking about the words and legacy of one of the most renowned Americans of the 20th century. This year, plenty of celebrities got involved posting quotes from King on social media and encouraging followers to reflect on the words. “Dr. King was 26 when the Montgomery bus boycott began,” former President Barack Obama wrote on Twitter. “He started small, rallying others who believed their efforts mattered, pressing on through challenges and doubts to change our world for the better. A permanent inspiration for the rest of us to keep pushing towards justice.” Obama was joined in celebrating King by his one-time presidential election opponent, Mitt Romney, who wrote, “May our memory of Dr. King buoy our hope for unity, greatness, & ‘charity for all.'” Others joined in as well, from politicians like Bill Clinton to directors like Ava Duvernay. Check out a sample of MLK Day quotes below.