Photo: “MLK Medium Right 1” by PruittAllen is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
This year marks the 55th anniversary of the passage of the Voting Rights Act, the crowning jewel of Dr. Martin Luther King’s push for equality. Here, eight ways to honor the Civil Rights icon’s legacy on what would have been his 91st birthday.
1. The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
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Declared a historic landmark in 1974, this district encompasses a cluster of important sites from the life of Dr. King, from the church where he was baptized to the final resting place of Dr. King and his wife, Coretta Scott King. Special holiday programming includes speeches from living King relatives, open house tours, and rides down Dr. King’s childhood street in a replica of a 1955 Marta Bus. nps.gov/malu
2. The Dexter Avenue Church King Memorial Baptist Church
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
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During his time as pastor, Dr. King and other members organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott in the historic Baptist church on Dexter Avenue. Built in 1855, the church now bears King’s name and celebrates his legacy every year with dance and musical performances, guest speakers, and prayer. While you’re in the area, stop by the The Civil Rights Memorial, a monument and fountain engraved with the names of 40 people who died during the Civil Rights struggle. Designed by Maya Lin, known for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, it includes one of King’s favorite quotes and is steps away from the Alabama Capitol building where the Selma March ended. dexterkingmemorial.org
3. International Civil Rights Center & Museum
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
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On February 1st, 1960, four black college freshmen sat at a whites-only Woolworth’s lunch counter and launched a sit-in movement that epitomized Dr. King’s brand of non-violent, civil disobedience. Sixty years later, the site of the old Woolworths houses an archive and museum that chronicles the history of the Civil Rights movement. Their full-day of MLK celebrations concludes with a screening of King: A Filmed Record…Montgomery to Memphis, an Oscar-nominated 1970 documentary that is on the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry. sitinmovement.org
4. National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
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Before Dr. King was assassinated on April 4th, 1968, the Lorraine Motel was known as one of the few upscale hotels in the Jim Crow Era to welcome African-American guests, including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding. On MLK Day, admission to the museum is free and guests are encouraged to participate in food and blood drives in King’s honor. Visitors can screen The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306, an intimate, Oscar-nominated documentary that recounts the last days of MLK’s life from the perspective of one of his closest friends. There will also be performances, children’s activities, and tours of From the Vault 2020, an exhibit that showcases the museums newest acquisitions. civilrightsmuseum.org
5. MLK2020
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
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In the spirit of MLK Day’s official designation as a day of service, San Francisco has planned a full week’s worth of service opportunities, including neighborhood and park clean-ups. Less active events include a lecture series exploring King’s relationship to faith and the Black & Brown Comix Arts festival, a cosplay event that celebrates black artists. sfmlkday.org
6. BAM’s 34th Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
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Presented in collaboration with CUNY’s Medgar Evers College, New York City’s largest public MLK celebration features artists and activists like Nikole Hannah-Jones—creator of the groundbreaking New York Times 1619 Project—and includes the kickoff of Picture the Dream, an exhibition of artwork inspired by Dr. King. bam.org
7. The People’s Holiday at the National Museum of African American History and Culture
WASHINGTON, D.C.
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The game-changing Smithsonian museum, which opened in 2016, highlights Coretta Scott King’s dream of “a day of interracial and intercultural cooperation and sharing.” On January 20th, you can watch performances by Howard University musicians and volunteer to create hats and scarves for donation. nmaahc.si.edu
8. Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop
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Katori Hall’s Laurence Olivier Award–winning play (named for his final speech) re-imagines Dr. King’s final hours in Room 306 at the Lorraine Motel. The Broadway production, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett, closed in 2012, but the popular two-hander can still be seen all over the country at regional theaters. Performances in Hawaii, Georgia, Virginia, and Florida showcase the “warts and all” depiction of the embattled leader.
