Each year, on the third Monday of January, Americans remember the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. The day is an annual federal holiday, complete with parades and memorial vigils.
This year on Jan. 21, the country will acknowledge King’s legacy in an extraordinary way, as we watch the second-term inauguration of President Barack Obama.
Orlando will also play a part in remembering King this year, as our area sees an assortment of parades, prayer breakfasts, candlelight vigils and community service projects.
Below, we’ve assembled a collection of MLK events going on within the next week. For more info, visit Mayor Buddy Dyer’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission website.
8th Annual MLK Leadership Forum: The Journey to Justice: Pursuing Equality in our Election Process
6 p.m., Jan. 17
Florida A&M College of Law
free
27th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Luncheon
11 a.m., Jan. 18
The Ballroom at Church Street
call for price, or RSVP to mlkchairman@gmail.com
Concert performance presented by Negro Spiritual Scholarship Foundation
7 p.m., Jan. 18
Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Instutional Church
free
29th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade
10 a.m., Jan. 19
Downtown Orlando
free
Town of Eatonville’s MLK Parade and Celebration
2 p.m., Jan. 19
Downtown Eatonville
free
Sponsored by the Greater Haitian American Chamber of Commerce
10 a.m.-3 p.m., Jan. 19
Lake Eola Park
free
MLK 26th Commemorative Banquet
6 p.m., Jan. 19
Sanford Civic Center
sanfordmlk.com
call for price
11th Annual Unity Heritage Festival
1-5:30 p.m., Jan. 20
10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Jan. 21
Shady Park, Winter Park
cityofwinterpark.org
free
Martin Luther King, Jr. Park Dedication Ceremony
9:30 a.m., Jan. 21
Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, Winter Park
cityofwinterpark.org
free
22nd Annual Arthur “Pappy” Kennedy Prayer Breakfast
7:45 a.m., Jan. 21
First Baptist Church
3000 S. John Young Parkway
call for price, or email emiller@cfymca.org
Plant Seedlings for Civil Rights & Clean-up
9 a.m., Jan. 21
Rosemont Building
free
Parramore Clean-Up Service Project
9 a.m., Jan. 21
Florida A&M College of Law
free
10 a.m., Jan. 21
West Oaks Mall
free
10 a.m., Jan. 21
Crooms Academy of Information Technology
sanfordmlk.com
free
Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Vigil
6 p.m. Jan. 21
Rollins College, Knowles Memorial Chapel
free
Diversity Dialogue: “How Far Have We Come?”
7 p.m., Jan. 22
Rollins College, Crummer Hall
rollins.edu
free
6:45 p.m., Jan. 23
Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Rollins College
rollins.edu/cfam
free
Communities in Unity: A Show of Strength Festival
9 a.m.-6 p.m., Jan. 26
Hope of Salvation, Inc.
facebook.com/hopeofsalvationinc
free
This article appears in Jan 16-22, 2013.