Mayor's Office

Madison will once again be offering programs to honor Dr. King and celebrate his legacy. Again this year, many events will be virtual.

The City-County 37th annual observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, January 17, 2022 from 6:00pm to 7:15pm. As always, this event includes excellent music, a national keynote speaker, and the City-County Humanitarian Awards.

This year’s recipients of the City-County Humanitarian Awards honoring Reverend Dr. King, Jr. are Will Green, Vanessa McDowell and Michael Johnson. They were selected by the City’s and Dane County’s Equal Opportunity Commissions as community members who reflect the values of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  The awards will be given as part of Monday’s program.

This is an outstanding group of awardees, and each of them is doing critical work in our community. Through their work across Madison, they are supporting families, providing needed services, and challenging us to be a better, more equitable city.

This year, the keynote presenter is Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X and award winning author, educator, and producer. Professor Shabazz promotes higher education for at-risk youth, interfaith dialogue to build bridges between cultures for young leaders of the world, and she participates in international humanitarian delegations. Learn more at her website here.

Leotha Stanley will again lead the MLK Community Choir. Click here for more details

You can also check out these events:

• National Civil Rights Museum Presents: King Day: An All-Day Hybrid Celebration
  The museum will be offering a hybrid celebration with free admission to the museum.
• See Other events honoring Dr. King, including the Urban League’s Outstanding Young Person Breakfast and Shabbat Honoring the Legacy of Dr. King
• Also check out Campus Events, including a Dream Ball, and UW–Madison MLK Symposium –
  An Evening with Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of the 1619 Project (January 25, 2022, 6:30 pm
• MLK Day Youth Call to Service, Hosted by the King Coalition
• The state observance will return in 2023.

Madison’s celebration has been among the biggest and best in the country. Even though we are still dealing with a pandemic, let’s keep the tradition vibrant and growing!