Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day

January 16,2023 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day! This day is celebrated across the country, is a Federal Holiday, and all banking institutions and schools are closed. Below are a few celebrations and events that are being held in Lexington, KY.

Lexington will celebrate its 50th anniversary of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration on Jan. 16 with a breakfast, the Freedom March in downtown and an afternoon of programming. “We continue to work to bring Dr. King’s vision of peace and equality to our city,” Mayor Linda Gorton said. “I am so thankful to everyone who organizes the program to honor Dr. King, and to the community members who come out and participate every year.” ▪ 6:30-9 a.m.: Unity Breakfast, a ticketed event hosted by the Alpha Beta Lambda chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Central Bank Center, Exhibit Hall A, 430 West Vine St. CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION

▪ The annual Freedom March will start at 1 p.m., will begin and end at Central Bank Center as marchers move through downtown.

▪ The Commemorative Program will begin at 2 p.m., at Central Bank Center.

The theme of this year’s Commemorative Program is “MLK Holiday 50th Anniversary: A Half Century of Lighting Candles of Hope Against the Threat of Darkness.” This year’s keynote speaker will be David Hall, President of the University of the Virgin Islands, known for his work on legal aspects of social justice and race. The Uniting Voices Chicago, formerly the Chicago Children’s Choir, will perform. Their appearance is part of the start of a satellite choir being started by singer Michael Preacely, known as the United Voices Lexington. There will be an all-day event with the choir on Saturday, Jan. 14 at Immanuel Baptist Church. The march and program are free and open to the public, and made possible through the partnership of the University of Kentucky, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, Spectrum, Blue Grass Community Foundation, Cornett, Bluegrass Community and Technical College, and Smiley Pete Publishing.

Article originally published in the Herald-Leader.