ONLINE: The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Observances
Sameer A. Khan
Eddie S. Glaude Jr. is chair of the Department of African American Studies at Princeton University.
While in-person commemorations of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday are not possible during the pandemic, it is more important than ever, in the midst of multiple national crises, to celebrate his activism and advocacy of peaceful dissent. At noon, tune in to Wisconsin Public Radio for audio highlights from past celebrations hosted by Jonathan Overby. You'll hear excerpts from the 2011 tribute with Michelle Alexander (author of The New Jim Crow), and revisit performances by the Latino Strings of Milwaukee and GMAC Mass Choir of Chicago. Pre-recorded segments will introduce the recipients of the 2021 MLK Heritage Award, and Gov. Tony Evers will present the official MLK 2021 State Proclamation. (A video rebroadcast will air at 10 pm on PBS Wisconsin, and at 7 pm and 11 pm on The Wisconsin Channel.) A virtual edition of the city-county observance will be livestreamed at 6 pm; the featured speaker is New York Times bestselling author Eddie S. Glaude Jr. (pictured). Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes Conway will present the Madison-Dane County Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award, and the event will be emceed by Angela Fitzgerald, host of Wisconsin Life. Gospel choir director Leotha Stanley will lead a virtual version of MLK Community Choir. Find the livestream and info about more events at mlkingcoalition.org.
press release: The Madison/Dane County King Coalition is pleased to announce that the 36th Annual City of Madison & Dane County observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday will feature NY Times best-selling author Eddie S. Glaude Jr. Glaude is known both for his inspiring oratory and ability to convene conversations that engage fellow citizens from all backgrounds — from young activists to corporate audiences looking for a fresh perspective. He is currently the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor and Chair of the Department of African American Studies at Princeton. He frequently appears in the media, as a columnist for TIME Magazine and as an MSNBC contributor on programs like Morning Joe and Deadline Whitehouse with Nicolle Wallace. He regularly appears on Meet the Press on Sundays. Glaude is often described as “the quintessential Morehouse man,” having left his home in Moss Point, Mississippi at age 16 to begin studies at the HBCU and alma mater of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The City-County Observance will take place on Monday, January 18, 2021, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event will be held virtually. The Observance will also feature presentation of the Madison-Dane County Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award by Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and Mayor of Madison Satya Rhodes-Conway. The MC for this year’s observance will be Angela Fitzgerald, host of Wisconsin Life on Wisconsin Public Television. Noted musician Leotha Stanley will lead a virtual version of MLK Community Choir.
More information and instructions to access the observance will be posted at http://mlkingcoalition.org
THE CITY-COUNTY OBSERVANCE WILL SERVE AS THE CAPSTONE TO A SERIES OF EVENTS COMMEMORATING THE KING HOLIDAY. OTHER KING COALITION HOSTED EVENTS INCLUDE:
** IMPORTANT NOTICE** The MLK COMMUNITY DINNER which normally kicks-off the King Holiday weekend has been cancelled this year due to the VOCID-19 pandemic.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 17 - MLK ECUMENICAL SERVICE: An Ecumenical Worship Service will be a virtual (broadcast can be accessed at http://mlkingcoalition.org) . Hosted by the King Coalition in partnership with a diverse group of faith community leaders, the MLK Ecumenical Service joins people together from diverse religious traditions, socioeconomic statuses, ethnicities and political beliefs in the spirit of brotherhood/ sisterhood to honor Dr. King’s dream of social justice and equality. It also seeks to develop the “beloved community” through spiritual inclusivity and recognition of our shared humanity. This years’ service includes remarks from:
- Pastor Everett Mitchell, Christ the Solid Rock
- Pastor Karla Garcia, SS Morris AME Church
- Pastor Sterling Lynk, Dekorra Lutheran Church
- Reverend Karen Armina, James Reeb Unitarian Universal Congregation
- Pastor Charles Yu, Blackhawk Church
- Rabbi Andrea Steinberger, Hillel at University of Wisconsin
- Pastor Roger Bertschausen, First Unitarian Society of Madison
- Minister Melva Bishop, Mt Zion Baptist Church (invited)
Instructions to view the online broadcast will be posted at http://mlkingcoalition.org.
MONDAY, JANUARY 18 – MLK YOUTH CALL TO SERVICE: The King Coalition, in partnership with the City of Madison, Dane County, MSCR, Madison Out of School Time (MOST), Madison Public Library, United Way of Dane County, and the Urban League are pleased to invite middle and high school youth to attend. The 2021 MLK Day Youth Call to Service will be held virtually on Monday, January 18, from 1:00-4:30pm (Central Time). Sessions will be conducted over Zoom and will feature local representatives. This year’s partners include Simone Lawrence, The Hitterz Collective, Freedom Inc., and K. Sankofa. This is a completely free experience. Attendees will receive t-shirt and any necessary supplies for them to participate in the workshops. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required. Register at: https://mlkyouth2021.
The King Coalition was established in the fall of 1985 as a community group to plan the official City of Madison and Dane County observances of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. The Coalition brings people from all walks of life together in the spirit of true brotherhood and sisterhood to commemorate the life and accomplishments of this renowned leader of the civil rights movement. King Coalition events encourage the people of Dane County to reaffirm their commitment to building a just community out of our racial, religious and economic diversity.
In addition to King Coalition hosted events, other activities commemorating the King Holiday include:
Saturday, January 16 – Women in Focus Dream Ball: Sponsored by Women In Focus, the Ball raises money to provide college scholarships. Visit https://womeninfocusmadison.
Saturday, January 16 – MLK College Summit: Sponsored by The College Station. The MLK College Summit is designed to help high school students and families get a jump start on college planning. Visit https://www.facebook.com/
Sunday, January 17 - Urban League Youth Recognition Breakfast: The Virtual Breakfast will recognize nearly 250 Outstanding Middle and High School youth who were nominated by their schools for outstanding academic performance and service to their schools and community. Additionally, the Betty Franklin-Hammonds Scholarships will be presented. There will be no cost to attend this year. More info by calling (608) 729-1211.
Sunday, Jan. 17: Stand for Justice: The past year has brought unprecedented challenges in the form of a triple pandemic of COVID-19, poverty, and racial injustice. The pandemic precluded us from gathering in-person last fall as we normally would for the Urban Cabaret, and now we’ll be unable to celebrate MLK Day in person.
In response, the Urban League is excited to bring you a special program: Stand for Justice. Set to premier on January 17 at 1:00 PM, the program will include inspirational stories of triumph and success from 2020, powerful performances by local urban artists, and celebration of this year’s 250+ Martin Luther King, Jr. Outstanding Young Person Awardees.
The program will be led by Urban League CEO, Dr. Ruben L. Anthony, Jr. and co-hosted by the talented duo of Rob Dz and Danielle Crim.
Tune in right here at 1:00 PM on Sunday, January 17th to help us reflect on 2020, celebrate our young people, and raise funds to continue our important work in 2021.
Monday, Jan. 18: With the theme “Together As One”, Wisconsin's 41st official Tribute and Ceremony honoring the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is set for Noon, Monday, January 18, 2021, on Wisconsin Public Radio. It will take place not as a state Capitol event open event to the public, but rather as a pre-recorded event.
Hosted by Dr. Jonathan Overby, the 2021 MLK event is presented in collaboration with Wisconsin Public Radio and PBS Wisconsin. Wisconsin Public Radio will simulcast its celebration of Dr. King’s Birthday Commemoration at Noon on the Ideas Network and on the NPR News and Music Network. PBS Wisconsin will air a one-hour pre-produced program featuring segments from past years titled “The Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration 2021,” on the flagship channel at 10 p.m. It will also air on the Wisconsin Channel at 7 p.m. and again at 11 p.m.
The program will feature excerpts from author Michelle Alexander's original speech at the 32nd Annual Tribute in 2011 with rebroadcast performances by Chicago's GMAC Mass Choir and Milwaukee's Latino Strings. The 2021 celebration will include pre-recorded segments that introduce the recipients of the 2021 MLK Heritage Award. The official MLK 2021 State Proclamation will be presented by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers.
Monday, Jan. 18: MLK Day Youth Call to Service, 1-4:30 pm, online. Registration closed; watch here for updates.
The King Coalition, in partnership with the City of Madison, Dane County, MSCR, Madison Out of School Time (MOST), Madison Public Library, United Way of Dane County, and the Urban League of Greater Madison is pleased to invite middle and high school youth to attend the MLK Day Youth Call to Service on Monday, Jan. 18.
The 2021 MLK Day Youth Call to Service will be held virtually on Monday, January 18, from 1:00-4:30pm (Central Time). Sessions will be conducted over Zoom and will feature local representatives. This year's partners include Charlene Jones, The Hitterz Collective, Freedom Inc., and K. Sankofa.
This is a completely free experience. Attendees will receive t-shirt and any necessary supplies for them to participate in the workshops.
Google
Yahoo
Outlook
ical