Apple dedicated its homepage to Martin Luther King Jr. today, continuing an annual tradition that began in 2015. The full-page tribute features three of King's most powerful quotes alongside historic photographs from the civil rights movement.
The 2026 homage centers on King's 1957 sermon question: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'" Two additional quotes accompany the primary message, including King's conviction that "love is the most durable power in the world."
Apple integrated its services into the tribute, offering a free Apple Books edition of "A Time to Break Silence: The Essential Works Of Martin Luther King, Jr. For Students." Visitors can also access a Time to Walk podcast episode narrated by King's youngest daughter, Bernice A. King.
Historic photographs show King visiting a church in Miami, holding a news conference in Birmingham, Alabama, and speaking to a crowd in Jackson, Mississippi. The images trace his public work across key moments of the civil rights movement.
Apple CEO Tim Cook posted his own tribute on X, writing: "Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy of service, his commitment to justice, and his belief that every one of us has the power to make a difference."
The company's homepage statement reads: "We honor Dr. King and reflect upon his life and legacy." Apple has staged what it calls a Homepage Takeover for MLK Day each year since 2015, a designation typically reserved for major product launches or programming announcements.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a federal holiday in the United States in 1986, observed on the third Monday of January. Apple's news cycle typically slows on the holiday, with limited announcements expected today, though the company continues to manage other business matters like MacBook Pro M4 Max delivery delays.
Previous Apple homepage takeovers have marked significant events including former President Jimmy Carter's death at age 100 and the 10th anniversary of Steve Jobs' passing in 2021. The MLK tribute represents one of the company's most consistent annual digital commemorations.
This year's tribute arrives as Apple maintains its decade-long practice of using its most visible digital real estate for reflection rather than promotion on the federal holiday.
