A Martin Luther King Jr. mural located at 2228 N. MLK Drive in Milwaukee. (Photo by Jonathan Aguilar / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service / CatchLight Local)
By Meredith Melland
This story was originally published by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, where you can find other stories reporting on fifteen city neighborhoods in Milwaukee. Visit milwaukeenns.org.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday, is Monday, Jan. 19. In celebration of King, the transformative leader and civil rights champion, events are being held in Milwaukee.
Here’s a list of 15 events to celebrate and reflect on King’s legacy.
1. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Prayer Service: Saturday, Jan. 17
At 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 17, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee will be hosting a memorial prayer service at All Saints Catholic Church, 4051 N. 25th St. Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob will preside with Vevette Hill-Nwagbaraocha giving the keynote speech. The event will be livestreamed on Facebook. More information here.
2. MLK National Day of Service 2026: Saturday, Jan 17 and Monday, Jan. 19
Kids Impact Community welcomes children ages 0-13 and their grownups to pack winter hygiene kits, assemble snack packs, craft cancer care kits and participate in other activities from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 19 at Congregation Shalom, 7630 N. Santa Monica Blvd. Registration is required. Youths ages 9-13 also can register as junior leaders to assist with event setup from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 17 or assist attendees at various project stations on Jan. 19. More information here.
3. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. YMCA Celebration: Monday, Jan. 19
YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee is hosting its 29th annual breakfast honoring King’s legacy and recognizing local nonprofits dedicated to service at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Event Center, 1721 W. Canal St. Registration starts at 7 a.m. and the program and breakfast is from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 19. Ticket prices start at $50 and $65 for individuals. More information here.
4. Milwaukee Public Library MLK Day Celebration: Monday, Jan. 19
The Milwaukee Public Library Martin Luther King Branch, 2901 N. Martin Luther King Drive, will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 19 and offer a variety of programming. Activities include community art projects, panel discussions, trivia, choir and dance performances and poetry. More information here.
5. Beloved Community Day: Monday, Jan. 19
Residents participate in activities during the “Beloved Community Day” event at The Table in 2025. (Photo by PrincessSafiya Byers)
UBUNTU Research & Evaluation is hosting its 4th Annual Beloved Community Day from 10 a.m. to noon at The Table, 5305 W. Capitol Drive. The family-centered event will include a presentation on “Abolitionist Timekeeping” and activity stations. More information here.
6. MLK Day Liberation Summit: Monday, Jan. 19
Participate in a training on King’s four-step framework for nonviolent campaigns to solve modern challenges from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 19 at Allah Mode, 1942 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Host Jeremy Triblett and Shauntay Nelson, Ajamou Butler, David Bowen and Sumaiyah Clark will present sessions. Lunch will be catered. More information here.
7. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service: Monday, Jan. 19
In a “national day on” of service, City Year Milwaukee and students, educators and community volunteers will work together on school beautification projects at Humboldt Park School, 3230 S. Adams Ave., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 19. Registration is required. More information here.
8. 414loral MLK Day of Community: Monday, Jan. 19
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 19, participate in a typewriter workshop, type poetry and receive a free flower stem at 414loral, 1739 N. Martin Luther King Drive. More information here.
9. Grohmann Museum Kids’ Art Day: Monday, Jan. 19
Visitors will receive free admission to the Grohmann Museum,1000 N. Broadway, on Monday, Jan. 19. Children can create felt applique inspired by quilt art from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the lower-level stART Lab. More information here.
10. Sherman Phoenix MLK Day of Service: Monday, Jan. 19
An MLK Day event will take place at the Sherman Phoenix Marketplace on Jan. 19. (NNS file photo)
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 19 at Sherman Phoenix Marketplace, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave., make no-sew blankets to support Foundations for Freedom Inc., a local human trafficking education and prevention organization. Lunch will be served. Register in advance. More information here.
11. King Fest: Monday, Jan. 19
King Fest is happening from noon to 5 p.m., with a program from 1 to 3 p.m., at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum, 2620 W. Center St. The free event will include scholarship awards, speakers, poetry, vendors and food. Shop local vendors from noon to 1 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m. The museum will open at 11 a.m. and display some exhibits related to King. More information here.
12. King Day Celebration: Monday, Jan. 19
Join others at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 1531 W. Vliet St., for “Is It Me Who Must Change?” – a King Day celebration with guest speaker Kenneth R. Lock II. The program starts at noon on Monday, Jan. 19 with music, dance, spoken word and an open house at 1:30 p.m. More information here.
13. Annual Justice Program and March: Monday, Jan. 19
Dozens of community members attended the 2024 Martin Luther King Jr. Justice Coalition program at St. Francis of Assisi Church, meeting afterward at the downtown statue of Martin Luther King Jr. (NNS file photo)
The Martin Luther King Jr. Justice Coalition’s 25th annual program with speakers and awards will begin at 1 p.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 1937 N. Vel Phillips Ave. Attendees will march to the statue of King in the 1700 block of North Martin Luther King Drive at 2:30 p.m. (weather permitting). An after-set with music, food, games and children’s activities is planned to start at 3 p.m. at Summer of ’85, 2213 N. King Drive. More information here.
14. 42nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration: Monday, Jan. 19
The Marcus Performing Arts Center’s annual free celebration event will showcase local students who reflected on King’s words in art, speech and writing contests. The event takes place at 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 19 at Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall, 121 E. State St. More information here.
15. MLK Dinner & Art Workshop: Monday, Jan. 19
FATE: Arts & Performing Arts Group is hosting a free dinner with art activities to inspire change, dialogue and community from 4 to 6 p.m. on Monday, January 19 at 339 W. North Ave. Open to all ages. Registration is required. More information here.
Meredith Melland is the neighborhoods reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
This article first appeared on Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.