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A statue against a blue sky.
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C.
A number of events honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy are planned for Monday, Jan. 16, in and around Madison.
MLK Youth Call to Service. Middle school youth will participate in a program at the Madison Central Library (11:45 a.m.-4:45 p.m.) exploring service and activism in memory of King. The King Coalition, in partnership with the City of Madison, Dane County, MSCR, Madison Out of School Time (MOST), Madison Public Library, the Urban League and others are sponsoring the event. Registration for the free event is now closed. For more information, contact Andrew Schilcher at aschilcher@ulgm.org.
The oldest official state celebration of King's life is Wisconsin's own “Tribute and Ceremony,” which returns to the Capitol Rotunda at noon. The theme is “Let Justice Rule,” and the guest speaker is Lawrence University President Dr. Laurie A. Carter; music will be by members of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and the event will also be broadcast live on Wisconsin Public Radio and on the Wisconsin Channel from PBS Wisconsin.
Sun Prairie holds its celebration at 3-5 p.m. The free event, which takes place at Prairie Phoenix Academy (220 Kroncke Dr., Suite 100) will feature local Black leaders speaking on what this day means to them. The Black Student Union from the Academy will be there, DJ Ree Manic will provide music and students will given poetry readings. Caterer Dania Canon will provide soul food appetizers.
The event is sponsored by Sunshine Place, Sun Prairie Community Schools, Boys and Girls Club of Dane County, Sun Prairie Schools Department of Systemic Equity and Inclusion, and the City of Sun Prairie. For event updates, see Facebook.
The King Coalition of Madison & Dane County Observance begins with a freedom songs sing-in at 5:15 p.m. Jan. 16 at the Overture Center. The program begins at 6 p.m., featuring guest speaker Donzaleigh Abernathy (daughter of the Rev. Ralph Abernathy), the MLK Community Choir, and the presentation of the Madison-Dane County MLK Humanitarian Awards (to Dr. Charles Taylor and the late Wayne Strong). Find a live broadcast on Madison City Channel and WORT-FM. For information on related events, visit mlkingcoalition.org.
If you live closer to the Spring Green area, you can join the Spring Green Community Group, which began in 2020 to encourage conversations about racism, for its "Words of Dr. Marin Luther King, Jr." at the Slowpoke Lounge & Cabaret, 137 W. Jefferson St., Spring Green. At this in-person event (vaccinations required; masks encouraged), community members are invited to bring a favorite quote, speech or essay by the civil rights leader to share with others. The event begins at 7:30 p.m.
And if you're not free on Jan. 16, but are on Jan. 23, plan on attending the UW MLK Symposium, with guest speaker Benjamin Todd Jealous, a former investigative journalist, Rhodes scholar and one of the youngest presidents in NAACP history. Jealous will reflect on the life and legacy of King, and his keynote will be followed by a Q&A. The in-person event at UW's Shannon Hall, 800 Langdon St., will also be streamed online. Tickets are not needed for the in-person event (doors open at 5 p.m.), which begins at 5:30 p.m. But you need to register to attend live online (the livestream will not be available on demand.)
