Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed on the third Monday of January each year to honor one of the most important leaders in U.S. history.
A giant of the Civil Rights movement, Dr. King was the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism protesting racial discrimination in the U.S. from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. Inspired by his Christian beliefs and the nonviolent activism of Mahatma Gandhi, King led nonviolent marches for desegregation, the right to vote, labor rights, and other civil rights.
Dr. King has considerable ties to Boston, where he earned his PhD from Boston University and met his wife, Coretta Scott King. The following events throughout Greater Boston honor Martin Luther King, Jr. and celebrate his life and work.
Pine Street Inn Choir: “Lift Every Voice and Sing”
Events:
- January 19: MLK Embrace Honors: Friends & Family Sneaker Affair — Honoring community and civic leaders in Boston.
- January 20: 55th Annual MLK Memorial Breakfast — The 55th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast with guest speaker, civil rights activist Angela Davis.
- January 20: Celebrate! with George Russell Jr. and Friends — A performance with George Russell Jr. and Friends in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day at John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
- January 20: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Concert “Road to Freedom” — Boston Children’s Chorus 22nd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Concert at Boston Symphony Hall.
- January 20: MFA’s MLK Day Open House — The Museum of Fine Arts hosts a special house with artmaking, talks and community speakers.
- January 20: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration — The Peabody Essex Museum presents works that examine social justice, identity and freedom across generations.
- January 20: BYSO’s Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration — Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra’s tribute concert to Dr. King.
- January 20: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service 2025 — A day of social justice storytelling, artmaking and music at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
- January 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the ICA — Explore race and identity-focused exhibitions, artmaking and a short film screening at the Institute of Contemporary Art.
- January 20: Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community Breakfast — Congregation Beth Elohim’s 23rd annual community breakfast event with guest speaker author Colette Phillips.
- January 20: 2025 MLK Day and Week of Service & Learning — Service projects at Cambridge City Hall, Cambridge Senior Center and YWCA Cambridge.
- January 25: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration 2025 “The Darkness at Midnight” — Celebrating Dr. King and his written and spoken work with guest speaker writer and poet Cole Arthur Riley.