This Monday, January 17, we will honor Civil Rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. King was an avid spokesperson and leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the late 1900s and is celebrated on this day. This Monday is filled with numerous events to honor his memory, and there are also many places that you can visit on this day. Here are some things you can do to celebrate MLK Day this year to are close to home:

1. Huntsville, AL: Virtual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Program (UAH)

UAH’s Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion will be holding their annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Program with guest speaker Shaniqua McClendon. The nominal fee is $8 and will be held from 3pm to 5pm virtually over Zoom due to COVID. All proceeds will go to the McGlathery Scholarship Fund and other DEI programmatic efforts.

2. Memphis, TN: King Day: An All-Day Hybrid Celebration (National Museum of Civil Right)

This museum will be held both at the museum and also have a virtual program from 8am to 6pm. This place was the motel that King was assassinated in and has now become a museum. Museum admission for this event will be free that day, and the virtual program will include musical performances and special tributes. There will also be a special virtual program for children and family!

3. Atlanta, GA: Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park

Open from 9 am to 5 am daily, this place has free admission and you can see King’s birth home and see the Ebenezer Baptist Church where he moved people with his word. You can also visit the King Center, where they continue to spread King’s message through audio, video, and preserved writings of Dr. King.

4. Decatur, AL: 2022 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Program (Calhoun)

Calhoun’s Black Student Alliance at their Decatur campus will be holding their Martin Luther King Program at the Advanced Technology Center (ATC) Exhibit Hall from 11am to 1pm. Lunch will be served and the program will feature speaker William Hampton.

5. Montgomery, AL: 47th Martin Luther King Jr Birthday Celebration (Dexter Avenue Baptist Church)

This church is where King worked and preached, and at 9am, the church will be celebrating his memory. Rev. Courtney D. Meadows will be a keynote speaker alongside others and ice cream will be served afterward. The event will also be live-streamed on their Facebook account.

6. Montgomery, AL: Civil Rights Memorial Center

This memorial is open 24/7 and is at the center of this city’s rich civil rights history. This place honors the Civil Rights movement and inspires visitors to continue their march for racial equity and social justice. The place is also very close to the church that King was a pastor at during the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Alabama Capitol steps.

On this day we will honor Martin Luther King and his inspiring message that still resonates heavily today, so participating in these programs or visiting these sites can help you enrich your knowledge of the activist and commemorate him and his impact on society. The Bob Jones library also has several books if you wish to learn more about King. We hope you try to engage in these numerous activities as we celebrate the man who drove the Civil Rights Movement.