Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday January 21. For many, the national holiday is not merely a day off to kick back and relax but a day to do something meaningful to honor King’s memory.

Here are some activities and events worth being a part of to commemorate King day that are taking place in Georgia.
King Center Events:

The Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service 1/21/13 at
8 a.m. Free to the public; seating is limited.
Ebenezer Baptist Church – Horizon Sanctuary 407 Auburn Avenue, NE, Atlanta, GA The keynote speaker will be Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President, The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (Hispanic Evangelical Association). A free viewing of the presidential inauguration follows the service.

In addition to the annual service, the center will host 10 days of events that include:

  • A march and rally in the King Historic District
  • A kick-off reception featuring dignitaries, local consulates, elected officials, college and university presidents, executives, pastors, leaders, the entertainment community
  • A youth expo
  • A book signing featuring Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO, The King Center and youngest daughter of Dr. King who will autograph “Desert Rose: The life and Legacy of Coretta Scott King”

Take a look at the schedule.

For Children:

Happy Birthday Martin Luther King Jr. 1/21/13 10:30 a.m. -2:30 p.m.
Children’s Museum Atlanta
Join the Imaginators as we celebrate the birthday and holiday of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in “A Child’s Day of Service”. To remember Dr. Martin Luther King and his vision for mankind, children will celebrate cultural unity by creating a hand print wreath in many colors.

10:30 a.m. and 2:30
Children’s Hand Print Wreath
11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
“A Child’s Day of Service”
Cost: Free with general admission, free for members
Ages: Ages 8 and under

Performances, Concerts and Exhibits:

Atlanta History Center Free Admission on MLK Day 1/21/13 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Enjoy free admission to the Atlanta History Center in honor of Martin Luther King Day, featuring all-inclusive access to award-winning exhibitions in the Atlanta History Museum; tours of the 1928 Swan House and the 1860 Smith Family Farm; the Centennial Olympic Games Museum; and 22 acres of gardens and trails.

MLK International Chapel 1/17/13 at 8 p.m.
A King Celebration Concert Following this year’s 20th-anniversary A King Celebration at Atlanta Symphony Hall, Robert Spano and the Orchestra return to the MLK Chapel on the campus of Morehouse College, Thursday, January 17, 2013, at 8 pm. Guests to be announced shortly.

Alliance Theatre 1/21/13 1 p.m and 3 p.m.
Dear Dr. King an original script by author Pearl Cleage
The Rich Auditorium, Woodruff Arts Center
RSVP for free tickets: 404-733-4749 or atedu@woodruffcenter.org
Enjoy a free performance reading of this new work by the acclaimed author in collaboration with the Alliance Collision Project. Inspired by the classic film It’s a Wonderful Life, Dear Dr. King uses the unique voice of teenagers to explore issues of legacy and the power that each individual life can play in effecting social change. The performances are part of the ADL’s annual No Place For Hate Summit.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Poetry SLAM! 1/21/13 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Alliance Theatre Black Box Theatre (3rd Floor)
Alliance teen poets will consider the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and how he inspired dramatic social change. Inspired by the photographs documenting the heroes of the Civil Rights movement in the ongoing High Museum installation Civil Rights Photography, 1956-1968, these young spoken word artists will respond to issues of social change in their own community.

Going to See the King 1/23/13 7 p.m.
Martin Luther King International Chapel
Atlanta University Center students present music, drama, dance and spoken word in King’s honor. The event is free.

Events at Colleges and Universities:

King Celebration at Morehouse College 1/17/13-1/30/13
Highlights include a community wide prayer vigil, a celebrity reading of King’s “I Have a Dream Speech” and a day of community service on the King holiday that starts at 8.a.m.

King Week at Emory 1/21/13-1/29/13
The university is commemorating the holiday all week long with community service projects, lectures, concerts and worships services. It kicks off with a free presidential inauguration viewing party. For more information on how to volunteer contact: Volunteer Emory Fellow at adirby@emory.edu or Tess Komarek at tkomare@emory.edu Get the complete list of events.

Parades and Marches

Carterville Parades and Marches
Youth Rally 1/21/13 at 10 a.m.
St. Luke A.M.E. Church 130 Jones St Cartersville, GA 30120

Brotherhood March 1/21/13 at 2 p.m. (Participants gather at 1:15 p.m. )
Where: Begins at theCivic Center continues along Main and Erwin streets and ends at the courthouse on Cherokee Avenue.

Wreath-Laying Ceremony 1/21/13 (immediately after the Brotherhood March.)
Frank Moore Administration and Judicial Center (courthouse)
What: Brotherhood Program 1/21/13 (follows the wreath laying ceremony) Civic Center

Volunteer Opportunities

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Dinner Event 1/21/13 all day
Georgia World Congress Center organized by Hosea Feed the Hungry Serve thousands of people at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Dinner Event – the nation’s largest sit-down dinner for the homeless and hungry. Volunteers must be at least 16 years.Register to volunteer.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service 1/21/13 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Athens County Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful to make MLK Day a day ON, not a day OFF! Projects this year will include a wide variety of family-friendly service projects. Get more information.