Today, January 15th, is Martin Luther King Day, a day that honors Dr. King’s legacy to the civil rights movement, community service, and non-violent opposition.
The federal holiday is observed on the third Monday of January each year though this year the holiday lands on its earliest possible date of January 15th which happens to also be the official birthday of Martin Luther King.
Though the federal holiday honoring King was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on November 2, 1983, and properly observed around the country from 1986, the State of Illinois had already become the first state to make Martin Luther King’s birthday a state holiday almost a decade earlier.
With a strong connection to the city, Chicago has numerous ways to celebrate the day with an array of events, donation drives, and more honoring his legacy throughout the city.
Here are a few ways you can celebrate Martin Luther King Day this year in Chicago.
The DuSable Museum
The DuSable Museum is hosting a Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service that will run from 10 am until 6 pm featuring arts and crafts, children’s storytimes, film screenings, open mic, and a reel of elder stories.
There will also once again be live musical performances and the ’50s bus (provided by PACE ) outside the museum in honor of Rosa Parks.
Address: DuSable Museum, 740 E. 56th Place
My Block, My Hood, My City MLK Day of Service
My Block, My Hood, My City is hosting an MLK Day of Service which will consist of celebrating unity and progress and creating picket signs for an August M3 march on Madison to End Gun Violence.
The non-profit organization is looking for volunteers to help create 5,000 picket signs. “Every year on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day we host a community event in remembrance of Dr. King’s legacy”, reads the release. “Put a hold on the third January Monday and join the M3 team for a day of service and reflection. On this special day, we are coming together to help prepare for the M3 March on Madison to End Gun Violence.”
The event will take place at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Youth Center from 10am – 3pm.
More information can be found at www.formyblock.org.
Address: 3600 W Cermak Rd, Chicago, IL 60623
Stone Temple Baptist Church
Attend a service at the Stone Temple Baptist Church, the historically Black church that King himself preached at. The MLK event is back in person again after it returned last year following a two-year virtual version.
Anyone interested in attending can send an email to JCRC1@juf.org to attend the 10:30 a.m. service.
Address: Stone Temple Missionary Baptist Church, 3622 W. Douglas Blvd.
Unfortunately, various annual MLK events including the North Lawndale Racial Justice Ride, UCSC’s King Day of Service and the Chicago History Museum’s annual commemorative MLK Day event have all been cancelled or postponed due to the weather.
Secret Chicago will provide information on any rearranged dates as soon as it becomes available.
[Featured image from Shutterstock]