Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, January 20, and people nationwide will commemorate the federal holiday that honors the renowned civil rights activist—and Washington, D.C. is no different! Across the District, Washingtonians and institutions will honor King and his legacy in D.C., where a memorial stands in his honor and where he made his legendary “I have a dream…” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. To help you commemorate the day, we’ve rounded up ways you can honor the day around D.C.
1. Take part in the 20th Annual MLK Holiday D.C. Peace Walk & Parade
The peace rally will take place indoors on Saturday, January 18th, and doors open at 10:30 am at Entertainment & Sports Arena.
The event begins at 11:00 and features a parade performance, a student essay competition, and a health and wellness fair!
Learn more here.2. Visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
Situated along the Tidal Basin and sculpted from granite, King’s is the first memorial that honors an African American person along the entire National Mall.
You can walk around his memorial and read more than 10 quotations from some of King’s most renowned speeches inscribed along the sculpture and its walls.
3. Attend the community events at the National Museum of African American History & Culture over the weekend
In commemoration of the day, the museum typically hosts an array of community events ahead of and immediately following MLK Jr. Day!
While they will be closed on the 20th of January itself, The National Museum of African American History and Culture will have several events to honor the occasion over the weekend.
You can check out their official schedule on their website.
4. Offer your service and volunteer at the MLK Day of Service at Rock Creek Park
King was well-known for his acts of service and helping others, making volunteering a great way to honor him and his day!
The National Park Service and the Student Conservation Association will be hosting a day of service at Rock Creek Park.
Beginning at 10 am on Sunday, January 19th (the day before MLK Jr. Day) volunteers can help clean up the park!