The King Coalition, 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, has announced numerous events that will take place in the Madison area in mid-January.
The King 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.”
The Coalition will host the City-County Observance on Monday, Jan. 15. Dr. Terrence Roberts, who made history as one of the Little Rock Nine, the nine African American students who desegregated Little Rock Central High School in 1957, will be the keynote speaker at the 39th Annual Madison-Dane County observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday at the Overture Center Capitol Theater. The Observance will also feature a presentation of the Madison-Dane County Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Awards by Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and Mayor of Madison Satya Rhodes-Conway.
Other events that will be happening in Madison, according to the King Coalition, will include:
- The 34th annual MLK Community Dinner will take place Friday, Jan. 12, 4:30-7 p.m. at the Gordon Dining & Event Center, 770 W. Dayton St. This will be the first year that the event returns since the COVID pandemic. The Community Dinner kicks off the King Holiday weekend with fellowship and the annual MLK Free Community Dinner. Dinner served buffet style will include fried and baked chicken, mac n’ cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetables, sweet potato pie, and more. Join us and share a wonderful meal with friends, old and new, in Dr. King’s spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood.
- The MLK Ecumenical Worship Service will be held Sunday, Jan. 14, 4:30 p.m. at Fountain of Life Church, 633 W. Badger Road. 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.
- The MLK Youth Call to Service will be held on Monday, Jan. 15. 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 many others, invite middle school youth to participate at the Madison Central Library to explore service and activism in Dr. King’s memory. There is no cost to participate, but registration is required. For more information, contact Andrew Schilcher at [email protected].
- The MLK Community Choir will again be led by noted local musicians Leotha and Tamera Stanley. The Choir will perform at the City-County MLK Day Observance. The Choir is open to all community members wishing to participate. Interested participants must attend rehearsals on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 7 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 13, 11 a.m.. Both rehearsals will be held at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 2029 Fisher Street.
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. For more information about King Coalition events, click here.
In addition to King Coalition-hosted events, other activities commemorating the King Holiday will include:
- The MLK College Readiness and Success Summit will be held on Saturday, Jan. 13 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at Madison College Goodman South Campus. Designed to help students and parents understand the college process, the Summit will provide resources on pre-college program opportunities, how to navigate the college admissions process and scholarship opportunities. High school students of color, first-generation students, and parents are encouraged to attend. Space is limited. For more information, click here.
- The annual “I Have A Dream” Scholarship Dream Ball will be held on Saturday, Jan. 13. Hosted by Women In Focus, the Scholarship Ball raises funds for scholarships to support both high school seniors and adults returning to continue post-high school education. Women in Focus has awarded over $500,000 in scholarships to Dane County students. The event typically does sell out. Visit https://womeninfocusmadison.org for more information.
- The Urban League Outstanding Young Person Recognition will be held on Sunday, Jan. 14. The Urban League of Greater Madison will honor over 200 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 and George Anglin Memorial Scholarships, Delta Sigma Theta Creative Arts Contest, and Mann Scholars awards will be presented. Tickets are available at https://ulgm.org/MLKtickets. The event does typically sell out with nearly 1,000 attendees.
