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There will be no shortage of activities and events planned to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for the annual national holiday. The iconic figure will be remembered in song, informative history sessions, and parades across metro Detroit and the state of Michigan.
Henry Ford Museum plans to celebrate the life of Dr. King by offering a day of inspiration at its American Innovation on January 16. The museum will also feature several exhibits, events and programs.
Visitors will be able to hear the words of Dr. King as he presented a call to the nation during the 1963 March on Washington. The memorable speech called on Americans to reflect on the meaning of justice in Letter from the Birmingham Jail and encouraged people to consider the possibility of creating a lasting “beloved community” together.
Some of the featured exhibits include, “With Liberty and Justice for All. The exhibit explores the evolution of American freedom from the Revolutionary War to the fight for civil rights.
The day-long event will include hands-on activities, workshops focused on Dr. King’s work “Into Practice, special screenings, and so much more.
The event is free and according to the museum’s website at henryford.org, reservations are not required at this time.
Detroit’s gathering place for all things Black history will also commemorate the MLK Day. The Charles H. Wright Museum for African American History will host its annual Day event breakfast, exhibitions, and programming.
Visited can visit the Wright museum for an MLK prayer buffet breakfast featuring an invocation from Rev. Dr. JoAnn Watson, Senior Pastor of West Side Unity Church, and a keynote from Dr. Melba Joyce Boyd. Dr. Boyd is a Distinguished Professor in African American Studies at Wayne State University.
The prayer breakfast is a ticketed event, however the museum will also feature free educational workshops and family-friendly programming.
Some of the programming includes a “Restore the Dream” and “What’s Your Dream” workshop led by poet Tawana Petty.
The Wright museum’s MLK program also includes a special film screening of “Who Are We: A Chronicle on Racism in America”.
Its programming will conclude with a lecture series which includes a curated selection of profound speakers chosen the museum’s president, Neil A. Barclay. The first lecture features Charles M. Blow, an American journalist, commentator and op-ed columnist for The New York Times and current political analyst for MSNBC, according to the museum’s website.
As one would expect, MLK Day celebrations will take place across the state, including on the campus of East Lansing at Michigan State University. Starting Thursday, January 12 through Friday, January 20 – students and faculty will be involved in a variety of events including:
Jan 16: MLK Commemorative March brings together student organizations and is open to the public.
“The annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Celebration at MSU is an important occasion for the campus community to recognize Dr. King’s incredible impact on civil rights and social justice, said Interim President Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D.
“As Spartans, we work to advance his message and manifest it in all we do. With Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day now a fully recognized university holiday, we have an even greater opportunity to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy and connect with our community.”
MSU will also host a Community Unity Dinner. The dinner will highlight Department of African American and African Studies Associate Professor LeConté Dill as the keynote speaker, and will including recognize student recipients of the Martin Luther King Jr. Endowed Scholarship.
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