6 Uplifting Events to Celebrate MLK Day in the DC Area

You can honor the life and legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. this weekend at the opening of a new Black history exhibit, an all-ages community celebration, a service project, and other uplifting commemorations.

MLK Holiday DC Peace Walk & Parade

For more than four decades, the DC community has honored King with a peaceful march through the city. This year’s commemoration will begin with a peace rally and assembly along MLK Avenue at 9:30 AM, followed by a parade and a health and wellness fair for all ages (January 19, free).

“At the Vanguard” exhibit

Discover the history of five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the “At the Vanguard” exhibit at Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. The new showcase narrates the origins and legacy of HBCUs and their impact on Black history through more than 100 objects collected from Clark Atlanta University, Florida A&M University, Jackson State University, Texas Southern University, and Tuskegee University (opens January 16, free).

“Freedom and Resistance” at MLK Memorial Library

DC Public Library teams up with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones to present a visual art exhibition inspired by Hannah-Jones’s groundbreaking book and video project The 1619 Project. The “Freedom and Resistance” exhibition spotlights artworks from ten Black artists that explore themes of slavery, history, and, yes, freedom and resistance. You can attend the opening salon on January 16 at the library to sit in on discussions with Nikole Hannah-Jones and fellow DC writers and artists (opens January 16, free).

15th Annual MLK Day Wreath-Laying Ceremony

Gather around the remarkable “Stone of Hope” statue at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in memory of King’s life and impactful social justice legacy. Senator Angela Alsobrooks will deliver a keynote speech accompanied by live musical performances by Ebenezer United Methodist Mass Choir and gospel guest soloists Ricky Dillard and Byron Cage (January 19, free).

Anacostia Riverkeeper Cleanup at Pope Branch Park

Anacostia Riverkeeper is partnering with Pope Branch Park Restoration Alliance for a weekend cleanup. You can volunteer your time to help restore the river to a state of being fishable and swimmable (January 19, free).

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

Animal lovers can spend the holiday giving back to pups and cats in need. Volunteers can assist The Brandywine Valley SPCA with cleaning, organizing donations, and
prepping enrichment for shelter animals (January 19, free).

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