Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a federal holiday and all public schools, post offices, and government buildings will be closed.
In New York City, there are several great ways to honor Dr. King on his birthday.
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
In honor of Dr. King's achievements in bringing people together to address important community issues, thousands will gather on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to participate in community service projects. The slogan is: “A day ON, not a day OFF.” Find a community service project in New York City. - A Communal Celebration In Honor Of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Join the Jewish Community Center for a day of community service in honor of Dr. King. New Yorkers of all ages can make welcome kits for hospitalized kids with Project Sunshine, man the phone lines for the Anti-Genocide Hotline, prepare meals for the homeless, and even write letters to President-Elect Obama on the eve of his inauguration. Free bagels, coffee, and hot chocolate will be served.
Jewish Community Center
334 Amsterdam Avenue at West 76th Street
January 19, 2009, 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.br] FREE admission - Celebrate the Dream
Honor the life and work of Dr Martin Luther King, on the eve of this historic presidential inauguration, with a free celebratory night of music featuring Abraham, Inc. and their unique blend of the sounds of renowned trombonist Fred Wesley, klezmer clarinet virtuoso David Krakauer, and beat architect Socalled.
Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space
2537 Broadway at 95th St., 646-505-4493
January 19, 2009 at 6:30 p.m.
FREE admission - Martin Luther King, Jr. Festival at the Children's Museum of Manhattan
Teach your children about Dr. King and his legacy with a visit to the Children's Museum for their Martin Luther King, Jr. Festival. The day's events include discussion of Dr. King's life and teachings and performanced by the world-famous Harlem Gospel Choir.
Children's Museum of Manhattan, 212 W. 83rd St. between Broadway and Amsterdam, 212-721-1234
January 19, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Museum admission is $10, free for museum members and children under one. - Martin Luther King, Jr. Walking Tour of Harlem
NYC Discovery Walking Tours will mark the birth of Dr. King with a tour of Harlem that will include stops at the Apollo Theatre, Lenox Lounge (where Billie Holiday performed), and the site of the NYC assassination attempt.
NYC Discovery Walking Tours -- Martin Luther King Weekend in Harlem
Saturday, January 17 and Sunday, January 18 at 2 p.m.
Cost is $16 per person, call 212-465-3331 to make reservations and find out the meeting place. - "I Have A Dream" Mural Making in Central Park
On Sunday, the Central Park Conservancy and the staff of Belvedere Castle are hosting a thoughtful craft-making event in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Discuss your dreams and then create an artful representation to display as part of a collaborative mural that will be hung at the Castle throughout Black History Month. On MLK Day itself, Central Park is hosting a special exhibit on Seneca Village, Manhattan's first known community of African-American property owners who lived on land that would become Central Park.
"I Have A Dream" Mural Making
Sunday, January 18, 2009. 12-3 p.m.
FREE - New York University's 4th Annual MLK Celebration Week
New York University is hosting an entire week of events in honor of MLK Day 2009. The week's schedule includes lectures, exhibits, film screenings, a basketball tournament, a walking tour, and more.
New York University 4th Annual MLK Celebration Week
January 19-25, 2009
Most events are free and open to the public. See the NYU calendar for more details.
