Martin Luther King, Jr’s legacy will be remembered in Cincinnati in much the same way Dr. King fought against racial segregation and injustice: with marches, speeches and acts of service.
The Cincinnati Museum Center begins the celebration on Saturday, Jan. 13, with Black Empowerment Day from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The event highlights Black excellence with art, performances, speakers and vendors. The programming is included with the price of admission to the CMC.
On Monday, Jan. 15, ,The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center hosts the King Legacy Celebration at 8 a.m. The public is invited to celebrate King’s legacy with music, reflection, and a call to action. This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Adren Wilson, vice president of youth opportunity programs and executive director for My Brother’s Keeper Alliance in the Obama Foundation.
After the breakfast, an interdenominational prayer will kick off the MLK Day Freedom March at 10:30 a.m. Marchers head to Washington Park for speeches and a musical performance. The celebration continues in Music Hall with music and three community leaders, Bishop Ennis F. Tait, Rickell Howard Smith, and Retired Judge Fanon A. Rucker, where each will address one of three theme words: Love, Power, and Justice.
For those who want to stay at the Freedom Center, programming continues throughout the day, thanks to Fifth Third Community Day. The Freedom Center is offering free admission, story times, musical performances, self-guided tours, art activities and more.
The annual MLK Day Blood Drive also takes place at the Freedom Center, hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. Walkups are welcome, but registration is suggested at hoxworth.org/mlk.
If service is what you’re looking for, the second annual MLK Day Community Clean-Up in Roselawn begins at the Great Parks Nature Center at the Summit from 10 a.m.–noon. After the cleanup, volunteers will meet back at The Summit Center for an open house to celebrate the hard work.
Later in the evening, Memorial Hall is host to Martin Luther King, Jr. – The Man, The Cause “In and Out of Time” from 7–9 p.m. Tickets are under $8 and take patrons on the musical journey of Dr. King’s causes.