Events Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day

In recognition and celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. day, a list of events that will be hosted throughout the community are included below. All are welcome, and encouraged to attend these virtual events!

Friday, January 15, 2021

  • UW School of Medicine and Public Health’s Legends and Legacy: The Masking of Black Health in America
    11 am – 12:15 pm | UW SMPH Facebook Live
    Renowned UW School of Medicine and Public Health alumnus Tito Izard, MD ’96, will present during a virtual event to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Dr. Izard will discuss the health impacts of systemic racism in a talk titled “Legends and Legacy: The masking of Black health in America.” More information can be found here. This event is a great opportunity reflect on the impact of racism in health care and learn from an alumni who is a frontline fighter for health equity in the Milwaukee area as President & CEO for Milwaukee Health Services, Inc., an independent not-for-profit Federally Qualified Health Center. All are welcome and strongly encouraged to submit their RSVP and questions for Dr. Izard via this form. This is part of a series of events and resources on advancing health by acting against racism that will run throughout the spring semester. Information will be shared during the January 15 presentation.

Sunday, January 17, 2021

  • Urban League of Greater Madison’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration
    Premieres at 1 pm | Urban League’s Facebook page or website
    The Urban League of Greater Madison will be celebrating the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a pre-recorded event. The video will be aired live at 1 pm and will be available on the sites for viewing later.
  • Ecumenical Martin Luther King, Jr. Service
    4:30 pm | Virtual event
    Honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by joining this ecumenical service which welcomes members of diverse faith communities. The event is hosted by the First Unitarian Society and features remarks by faith leaders from Christ the Solid Rock Chruch, SS Morris AME Church, James Reeb Unitarian Universal Congregation, Blackhawk Church, Hillel at University of Wisconsin, and others. Music will be provided by Leotha Stanley, the MLK Community Choir and others. Instructions to view the virtual broadcast will be posted soon.

Monday, January 18, 2021

  • AfricaSong’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Tribute & Ceremony
    Wisconsin Public Radio – Noon | Wisconsin Channel – 7:00pm and 11 pm | PBS Wisconsin – 10:00 pm
    This one-hour special tribute will feature excerpts from previous years’ ceremonies, including speeches and musical performances. Governor Tony Evers will also present the 2021 MLK Heritage Awards and the State Proclamation. This year’s theme is “Together as One” and will be available virtually through PBS Wisconsin and Wisconsin Public Radio.
    The tribute is being extended this year to include The Forward Together Forum podcast series. The series will feature scholars, authors, historians, and artists who share how we can make Dr. King’s dream a reality. The podcast will premiere on February 15 at noon. Archived editions will be available at africasong.org
  • The King Coalition’s MLK Day Youth Call to Service
    1:00 – 4:30 pm | Virtual event
    Middle and high school youth are invited to attend the virtual MLK Day Youth Call to Service. Sessions will be conducted over Zoom and feature local representatives. Attendees will receive t-shirt and any necessary supplies for them to participate in the workshops. This is a completely free experience, but space is limited. Registration is available online.
  • City-County Annual King Holiday Observance
    6:00 – 7:00 pm | Virtual event
    The Observance will be emceed by Wisconsin Life host Angela Fitzgerald and will feature a keynote by New York Times bestselling author Eddie S. Glaude, Jr. The event includes the MLK Humanitarian Award by City of Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. Instructions to view the virtual broadcast will be posted soon.

Monday, January 25, 2021