diff --git a/doc/api/next_api_changes/deprecations/19019-AL.rst b/doc/api/next_api_changes/deprecations/19019-AL.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..847c8770a676
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/api/next_api_changes/deprecations/19019-AL.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+*resize_callback* parameter to ``FigureCanvasTk``
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+This parameter was never used internally and is deprecated.  Tk-level custom
+event handlers for resize events can be added to a ``FigureCanvasTk`` using
+e.g. ``get_tk_widget().bind('<Configure>', ..., True)``.
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/_backend_tk.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/_backend_tk.py
index 072acda3e2d6..59426804943a 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/_backend_tk.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/_backend_tk.py
@@ -159,6 +159,9 @@ def _on_timer(self):
 class FigureCanvasTk(FigureCanvasBase):
     required_interactive_framework = "tk"
 
+    @cbook._delete_parameter(
+        "3.4", "resize_callback",
+        alternative="get_tk_widget().bind('<Configure>', ..., True)")
     def __init__(self, figure, master=None, resize_callback=None):
         super().__init__(figure)
         self._idle = True