“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
While Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15th, the third Monday of January is when the birth of the distinguished civil activist is observed. The day is often filled with ways to celebrate and continue the legacy of everything the activist and leader advocated.
Honor Dr. King this Martin Luther King Jr. Day by attending one of the following virtual or in-person events in and around Baltimore.
Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards Dinner
- TAddress: The Westin Baltimore Washington Airport – BWI – 1110 Old Elkridge Landing Road, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090
- Dates: Check Website
This annual awards dinner hosted by The Martin Luther King Jr. Committee of Maryland has been going on for nearly 35 years. This is one of the largest celebrations of Dr. King’s birthday in the area and the theme for this year is “Elections Have Consequences: They Either Affirm the Dream or Defer It.”
Tickets for the awards program and dinner are $100 per seat and this year’s honorees include the president of the United Black Clergy of Anne Arundel County, Antonio Palmer, winner of the Dream Keepers Award, Alan Hyatt, Comptroller Peter Franchot, and more. The night will be filled with entertainment by notable local and international artists.
Cityfam’s Annual MLK day of Service
- Address: Civic Works, 2701 Saint Lo Drive, Baltimore, MD 21213
- Dates: MLK Jr. Day, 9am-12pm
- Website
CityFam Baltimore will be joining hands with Civic Works to do good for the community this Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Civic Works is a nonprofit organization that has been strengthening the communities in Baltimore for over 20 years through job training, skill development, education, and more.
Volunteers must be over the age of 18 and need to register in advance. They will then either go to a physical site or online to help people and the community. Some of the planned projects include painting the basement of the mansion, working on the community Lot Team, or helping out at a partner location such as Second Chance, Inc., or Waverly Commons.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the “I Have a Dream” Speech Live Stream
- Date: MLK Jr. Day, 5-6:30pm
- Website
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech may be one of his most famed and known acts – yet so few people have actually heard it in its entirety. Dr. King delivered the 17-minute-long speech on August 28th, 1963, in Washington, DC, and touched on topics such as ending racism and civil and economic rights. The iconic speech was a defining moment for the civil rights movement.
Robert Kelleman (Washington DC History & Culture) will be hosting the live stream event where you have the opportunity to listen to the full speech while also understanding the historical events that led to the march and the events that followed. There will be an optional online discussion among fellow participants following the livestream.
MLK Artistic Celebration by Kondwani Fidel: Until the End of Rhymes
- Address: The Walters Art Museum, 600 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21201
- Dates: Thursday after MLK Jr. day, 6–7 pm
- Website
Poet Kondwani Fidel will be hosting this free celebratory event to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Until The End of Rhymes at the Walters Art Museum is a poetic performance piece that is part of a program that celebrates the impact black voices have on communities across America.
There will be additional performances by Eddie Vanz, Zyaa, Akilah Divine, Black Assets, and more.
MLK Weekend: Doers and Dreamers
- Address: Port Discovery Children’s Museum, 35 Market Pl, Baltimore, MD 21202
- Dates: MLK Jr. weekend
- Website
It’s never too early to teach your kids about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to inspire them through his words and actions. The Port Discovery Children’s Museum in Baltimore is doing just that on MLK weekend with their Doers and Dreamers event.
This incredible three-day program is filled with story times focused on MLK Jr. as well as other activists and interactive events about the Baltimore Negro Baseball League as well as the history of African Americans in the nation’s favorite pastime.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend: A Celebration of Freedom
- Address: B&O Railroad Museum, 901 W Pratt St, Baltimore, MD
- Dates: Sunday & Monday (MLK Jr. Weekend)
- Website
The B&O Railroad Museum will be hosting a special program exploring the concept of freedom on Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend. In addition to honoring the life of Dr. King, they will also focus on celebrating the museum’s status as a National Underground Railroad Network and Freedom Site.
There will be lots of educational activities for kids and the entire family; the schedule includes everything from a tour on Slavery to Civil Rights, to youth readings and choir recitals from the Union Baptist Church in Baltimore.
Martin Luther King Jr. Lock-In
- Address: Memorial Episcopal Church, 1407 Bolton St, Baltimore, MD 21217
- Dates: Sunday 6:00 pm | Monday 2:00 pm
- Website
The Martin Luther King Jr. Lock-In is the perfect opportunity for teenagers to get more involved with MLK Jr. Day activities. The event is only for middle and high schoolers (7th – 12th grade) and is hosted at the Memorial Episcopal Church in Baltimore.
The overnight program has an interesting schedule filled with discussions on topics such as racism in the church and country. There will also be a film about a historical figure that’s shaped our nation as well as a project that will serve the local community.
Annual MLK Convocation at Loyola University
- Address: Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore, United States
- Dates: Thursday after MLK Jr. Day, 6:30 pm
- Website
The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation hosted by Loyola University will be inviting author Michelle Alexander to speak via live stream. Karsonya Wise Whitehead, Ph.D., and associate professor of Communication and African and African American Studies at Loyola University will moderate it. The renowned author, Alexander, will be taking us through her best-seller The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.
The virtual event is open to the public at no cost, although registering in advance is required.
