Whether you’re relaxing because you have a long weekend, looking to engage in more somber reflection or planning to participate in a day of service, there are plenty of events in and around Baltimore for you to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federally recognized day of service. If you’re interested in looking for volunteer opportunities, AmeriCorps has a search site.
Saturday, Jan. 18
Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration with Unique Robinson
Poet and professor Unique Robinson is hosting a celebration of MLK’s legacy through a selection of poetry readings and musical performances. Local singer and songwriter Esi Abercrombie, spoken-word and hip-hop artist Black Chakra and The Storage Unit Collective will also perform.
Robinson is the director of Maryland Institute College of Art’s Master of Fine Arts Community Arts Program and a lifelong activist and poet. Her work focuses on “the power of language to transmute systemic harm,” according to the Walters Art Museum website.
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Time: 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St.
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Cost: Free, but registration is required.
Family friendly? It might be better to keep kids at home, as “the language in this program may not be suitable for all audiences.”
‘Selma’ screening
Teens in the region are invited to the Waverly branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library for a free screening of “Selma,” the historical drama that captures the Selma to Montgomery protest marches.
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Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Enoch Pratt Free Library Waverly Branch, 400 E. 33rd St.
Cost: Free.
Family friendly? This event is for teens only, no kiddos allowed.
Sunday, Jan. 19
B&O Railroad Museum’s ‘Celebration of Freedom’ weekend
The Rev. Alvin C. Hathaway Sr. will headline the B&O Railroad Museum’s “Celebration of Freedom” weekend, during which he will give a lecture on the life of civil rights leader Thurgood Marshall and his achievements as a lawyer and a judge. Admission is usually $12 for children, $17 for seniors and $20 for adults, but entrance to the museum will be free starting 1 p.m. on Sunday.
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The museum will also have a special educational programming and other family friendly activities on Monday, including “From Slavery to Civil Rights: The African American Railroading Legacy Public Tour.”
Time: Hathaway’s lecture will be from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., followed by light refreshments.
Location: B&O Railroad Museum, 901 W. Pratt St.
Cost: Free.
Family friendly? Yes.
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Martin Luther King Jr. celebration: Together, we are the change
Children between the ages of 7-12 are invited to this interpretative artwork experience, featuring the work of Amanda Gorman and Loren Long. Kids will focus on themes of justice, unity and making a difference, and all families who come will receive a copy of the book “Change Sings.”
Time: 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Towson University Hillel @ the Commons, 1 W. Pennsylvania Ave.
Cost: $10 per family.
Family friendly? Yes, children are required to come with a trusted adult.
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Monday, Jan. 20
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade canceled
The city’s annual parade along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard was cancelled due to weather as temperatures are expected to be in the single digits.
King Day at Reginald F. Lewis Museum
The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture will celebrate King Day with free admission for “An Era of Creative Maladjustment.” A main stage panel discussion hosted by historian and Morgan State University archivist Ida Jones will explore “healing and active solutions in the dawn of a new political era,” according to its website. Visitors can also learn about the legacy of local activist Walter P. Carter from his daughter, former Maryland Sen. Jill P. Carter, take in dance performances and attend holistic workshops.
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St.
Cost: Free; register here.
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Family friendly? Yes.
MLK Jr. Day at the Museum of Historic Annapolis
Historic Annapolis will open its museum on Main Street to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the diverse history of Annapolis.
The museum weaves local Black history throughout its main exhibition, “Annapolis: An American Story,” the special exhibit “The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Annapolis Activism,” and a reading area stocked with children’s books about the civil rights figure.
Registering in advance is recommended.
Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with guided tours at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Location: Museum of Historic Annapolis, 99 Main St.
Cost: General admission is $7.
Family friendly? Yes! Children 7 and under are admitted free.
Baltimore Banner reporter Clara Longo de Freitas contributed to this report.
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