Now in its 40th year, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, the official holiday commemorating the birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., celebrates the life, legacy, and sacrifices of King and those who worked and marched alongside him during the Civil Rights Movement.
More than simply a federal holiday, organizers of MLK Day, observed on the third Monday in January, have sought for the day to expand awareness, create opportunities of service and community impact, and continue the work of education. From video projects to service efforts, we have compiled a non-exhaustive list of suggestions to help those looking for ways to celebrate MLK and his day of observance.
Offerings at the Alliance
Young artists of the Alliance Theatre’s Palefsky Collision Project will perform Dear Dr. King in the Azadi Galleria in the Memorial Arts Building of the Woodruff Arts Center, at 2pm. Directed by Sam Provenzano in collaboration with Maya Lawrence (Playwright), Rodney L. Williams (Director of Artistic Mentorship), and David Koté (Music Director), this year's MLK Day performance will re-explore Dreams Born of Chaos, an original work inspired by Amanda Gorman's The Hill We Climb. The performance is free and open to the public. Registration is required.
The Alliance will also have Play Days available. Play Days are scheduled during school breaks and are available for students in grades K-5. Each Play Day has a specific theme taught by an expert in the field. The theme for MLK Day is Musical Theatre: Powerful Voices. Learn more.
The Alliance has also made available the original animated short, Sit-In. Written by Atlanta's bestselling author, playwright, and civil rights activist, Pearl Cleage (Blues for An Alabama Sky, In My Granny's Garden, Tell Me My Dream), Sit-In invites students, parents, teachers, and families to experience the Civil Rights Movement as a living, breathing energy with practical lessons, ethical challenges, and moral choices that remain relevant today. Available for streaming through June 30, Sit-In features a mixture of Civil Rights anthems and new freedom songs composed specifically for the play.
The King Center
The official theme this year is Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice, and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence365. Starting January 7th, The King Center will host an exciting array of events for King Holiday week. Some of the highlights include Nonviolence365® training for adults, a community youth book reading, the Beloved Community Global Summit and Youth Summit, and the MLK, Jr. Beloved Community Awards. The week will culminate with the annual ecumenical service Monday, January 20 at Ebenezer Baptist Church. The commemorative service, as well as a rally held in downtown Atlanta, will be broadcast live on Fox 5 Atlanta. Most will be streamed live at thekingcenter.org.
Community Offerings
Several metro Atlanta institutions from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra to the Atlanta History Center, to local city governments have organized a plethora of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities for this year’s MLK Day. Below are a few of the offerings available.
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will collaborate with singers from Ebenezer Baptist Church and Grammy Award-winning jazz singer Gregory Porter for the Martin Luther King Celebration concert. The concert will be broadcast on WABE at 8pm, on Monday, January 20.
The High Museum of Art will also be celebrating Dr. King’s legacy with a weekend of events. The Giants exhibition is in its last week. In addition, the following events will be open to members of the Atlanta community.
- Access for All Free Day, Wednesday, January 15, 10am – 5pm
- This will be a special Martin Luther King Jr. edition, honoring MLK’s birthday, with themed poetry readings by W.J. Lofton (poet and multimodal artist, whose work explores the intersections of race, class, and gender)
- Friday Jazz, Friday, January 17, 6 – 10pm
The High is also extending visiting hours on Saturday, January 18 and Sunday, January 19 until 9pm both days.
Trees Atlanta has scheduled volunteer projects in multiple locations across metro Atlanta on Monday, January 20, 2025, including Grant Park, Oakland City, and Decatur. Registration is required.
Emory University’s Office of Spiritual and Religious Life is offering a series of programs as part of its annual King Week celebration. From Saturday, January 11 through Thursday, January 23, 2025, numerous Emory units will honor the life and legacy of the King and the civil rights movement. The events include the Oxford College MLK Day of Service on Monday, January 20, starting at 9:30am. Registration is required.
Volunteer opportunities are also available in the City of Dunwoody. Volunteers are encouraged to register for the city’s 9th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on Monday, January 20, 2025. Dunwoody Parks and Recreation is partnering with the Dunwoody-Atlanta Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. to recognize the national MLK, Jr. Day holiday with volunteer service projects, a community food drive and blood drive.
The Atlanta History Center will commemorate the legacy of MLK and celebrate the women who have shaped he Civil Rights Movement. Guests will have the opportunity to participate in civil rights-themed trivia, kids’ activities, specially curated exhibits, panel discussions, and more. The event is free and open to the community. Registration is required.
Museum of Design Atlanta and Black Voters Matter will host Empowered Voices: MLK Day at MODA in celebration of MLK Day. The free event marks the last day to experience Characters: Type in Atlanta, an exhibition that explores typography as a tool for social justice. The event is Monday, January 20, 2025, 11am – 4pm. Registration is required.
