Past Celebrations

Revisit Our Past Celebrations

News and Local Coverage of the MLK Holiday Celebration

2023

This year marked the 50th anniversary of Lexington’s annual citywide observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, making it one of the oldest such programs in the country. The program keynote speaker was David Hall, president of the University of the Virgin Islands. Hall is also a distinguished legal scholar who is recognized internationally for his contributions to legal scholarship on race, social justice, leadership and constitutional law. The internationally renowned youth choral ensemble Uniting Voices Chicago was the featured artists at the Commemorative Program. https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/it-affirmed-my-belief-community-chester-grundy-reflects-50-years-lexington-s-mlk-holiday

2022

U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock delivered a virtual keynote address on the theme of "Dr. King’s Beloved Community 2022: Facing A Time of Reckoning in An Age of Denial." The program also included performances from UK alumni Michael Preacely and Ron Wilbur, UK doctoral student Erica Gabriel, Devine Carama, Charles Little and Shauna M. Morgan, UK associate professor of creative writing and Africana literature.

https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/legacy-martin-luther-king-jr-honored-during-lexington-s-annual-mlk-day-celebration

2021

In the place of a traditional commemorative program held in Heritage Hall, the Committee partnered with Lexington born film maker, Joan Brannon to create the documentary, Fire and Heart: A Blueprint for Liberation. The documentary examines racial justice and healing discourse for Black people in Kentucky and includes clips from past MLK Lexington celebrations. It invites the voices of activists and community members currently involved in the movement to share their experiences with direct action, protest, and to discuss the need for healing from racial trauma within the Black community. Featured storytellers are: Jecorey Arthur, Hannah Drake, Chester Grundy, Ann Beard Grundy, Keturah Herron, LeTonia Jones, Sadiqa Reynolds, and Sarah Williams. Additional creators of the film include, LaShelle Allen (music) and Nzingha-Beverley Sweeney-Sheppard (visual art).

Official Film Trailer: https://bit.ly/35OZA8g

To watch the documentary, visit: https://bit.ly/2KrO6QT

2020

On January 20, 2020 the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Program Committee celebrated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Hosting our traditional Freedom March and the commemorative holiday program. This powerhouse celebration featured a keynote address entitled "The Fierce Urgency of NOW!" by Reverend Delman L. Coates, PhD, Senior Pastor of Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, MD, and musical performance by the brilliant singer/composer DONNIE with his sextet of musicians featuring our own Rae'Shawna Campbell, Cole Campbell, Courtney Campbell, Kenneth Payne, Christopher Phillips, and Shon Willis. Following the program, there was a free showing of The Green Book at the Kentucky.

To view a recording of this event, visit: https://youtu.be/34HyHgzkDvQ .