LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On Jan. 17 the community will celebrate the legacy of civil rights pioneer and icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with days of service and limited in-person events.
The rising cases of COVID-19 have canceled others but we are bringing you the latest list of celebrations around Louisville and southern Indiana.
All events listed are scheduled for Monday.
LOUISVILLE
Saturday, January 15
10:00 a.m. - MLK Jr. 93rd Birthday Celebration-Prayer Breakfast
King Solomon Baptist Church | 1620 Anderson Street
Monday, January 17
MLK Day of Service Tree Planting
Join Louisville Urban Forestry from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. as they celebrate Dr. King in making Louisville greener with a tree planting event in downtown Louisville.
You don't have to have any experience and they say families and groups are welcome.
For more details, contact Sarah Flarsheim at sarah.flarsheim@louisvilleky.gov or call (502) 901-8191. You can also click here to fill out a volunteer form.
Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Walk
The annual walk-motorcade will begin at 9 a.m. at King Solomon Baptist Church at 1620 Anderson Street.
Participants will have the option to drive or walk 12 blocks to 28th and West Broadway where community leaders will discuss peace after the year of violence in 2021.
There will be speeches that follow the event at King Solomon shortly after the walk-motorcade ends.
Screenings of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech
Muhammad Ali Center
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
All day the center will screen Dr. King’s famous 1963 speech and it will play on a loop throughout the day. The screenings are free but seating is limited due to COVID-19 and will be on a first come first served basis.
PHOTOS | Martin Luther King Jr. through the years
LEXINGTON
The city will celebrate with their annual Freedom March beginning at 10 a.m. at the Lexington Central Bank Center.
Following the march, there will be a special program titled “Dr. King’s Beloved Community 2022: Facing A Time of Reckoning in An Age of Denial.” Senator Raphael Warnock, the first African American elected to the Senate from Georgia, will deliver the keynote address.
Originally set for in-person, officials with the University of Kentucky moved it to a virtual format due to escalating cases of COVID-19.
It can be viewed by visiting their YouTube page.
INDIANA
Bloomington - Indiana University
A Journey Toward True Education: Social Justice Conference 2022
The 2022 conference will take place Sunday, January 16 through Monday, January 17, offering IU faculty, staff, students, and community members an opportunity to attend presentations, workshops, and more. With several concurrent sessions led by social justice experts and multiple nationally recognized keynote speakers, the conference provides opportunities for all community members to reflect, honor, and be inspired by the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Some who will speak during the conference include prominent civil rights activist and attorney Benjamin Crump and co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign William J. Barber II.
Charlestown
The City of Charlestown is hosting a day of service dedicated to Dr. King on Jan., 17.
Officials say they are collecting donations for the Diaper Project, a Clark County-based organization that helps provide essentials to infants and toddlers.
The city says each MLK Day or service is a time for communities to strengthen. They are asking for residents to donate or volunteer at the organization.
There will be a drop off site at City Hall where those who are donating can take items. It will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Here are the items needed:
- Diapers (4,5,6 are needed the most)
- Baby wipes
- Diaper rash cream
- Baby lotion and wash
- Toddler graduate foods
- Sippy cups, bottles, pacifiers, teething aides
Corydon
Winners of the Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest winners will share how his legacy and civil rights work affects time today.
The event will take place at the Corydon Capital State Historic Site at from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
If you can’t make it to the event, organizers plan on streaming the contest on YouTube. Click here for more information.
Corydon Capital State Historic Site
202 East Walnut Street
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