The Martin Luther King, Jr. Coalition of Madison & Dane County is pleased to announce that the 39th Annual Madison-Dane County observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday will feature Terrence Roberts as the keynote speaker. Mr. Roberts made history as one of the “Little Rock Nine.” He attended segregated schools throughout his life until 1957, when he volunteered to help desegregate Little Rock Central High School. His first several attempts to enter the school were stopped by the Arkansas National Guard and angry mobs up to 1,000 people. Eventually, President Dwight Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard and dispatched members of the 101st Airborne Division to accompany the students to school for the remainder of the year. Dr. Roberts went on to a successful academic career that included earning a PhD. He and the other Little Rock Nine were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by President Bill Clinton. His story has been told in books and movies and he continues to tour the country urging that we learn from this ugly past and commit to working towards continued progress.
The City-County Observance will take place on Monday, January 15, 2024 at the Overture Center for the Arts in the Capitol Theater. The observance will include a freedom songs sing-along from 5:15-5:45 PM followed by the program from 6:00-7:30 PM. The Observance will feature presentation of the Madison-Dane County Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Awards by Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and Mayor of Madison Satya Rhodes-Conway. Noted musicians Leotha and Tamera Stanley will lead the MLK Community Choir. ASL interpretation will be provided at the event and the event will also be broadcast live on WORT FM and rebroadcast on Madison CityChannel.
More information will be posted at http://mlkingcoalition.org. Please check for ongoing updates.
THE CITY-COUNTY OBSERVANCE WILL SERVE AS THE CAPSTONE TO A SERIES OF EVENTS COMMEMORATING THE KING HOLIDAY. OTHER KING COALITION HOSTED EVENTS INCLUDE:
FRIDAY, JANUARY 12 – 34th ANNUAL MLK COMMUNITY DINNER returns this year for the first time since the COVID pandemic. The Community Dinner kicks-off the King Holiday weekend with fellowship and the annual MLK Free Community Dinner. Dinner served buffet style will include fried and baked chicken, mac n’ cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetables, sweet potato pie, and more. Join us and share a wonderful meal with friends, old and new, in Dr. King’s spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood. The dinner will be held at the Gordon Dining & Event Center, 770 W. Dayton St. Dinner will be served buffet style, and community members may arrive anytime between 4:30 – 7:00 PM.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 14 – MLK ECUMENICAL SERVICE: An Ecumenical Worship Service will be held at 4:30 p.m. at Fountain of Life Church, 633 W. Badger Road Madison. Hosted by the King Coalition in partnership with a diverse group of faith community leaders, the MLK Ecumenical Service joins people together from diverse religious traditions, socioeconomic statuses, ethnicities and political beliefs in the spirit of brotherhood/ sisterhood to honor Dr. King’s dream of social justice and equality. It also seeks to develop the “beloved community” through spiritual inclusivity and recognition of our shared humanity.
MONDAY, JANUARY 15 – MLK YOUTH CALL TO SERVICE: The King Coalition, in partnership with the City of Madison, Dane County, MSCR, Madison Out of School Time (MOST), Madison Public Library, the Urban League and many others, invite middle school youth to participate at the Madison Central Library to explore service and activism in Dr. King’s memory. There is no cost to participate, but registration is required. For more information, please contact Andrew Schilcher at aschilcher@ulgm.org.
MLK COMMUNITY CHOIR: The MLK Community Choir will again be led by noted local musicians Leotha and Tamera Stanley. The Choir will perform at the City-County MLK Day Observance. The Choir is open to all community members wishing to participate. Interested participants must attend rehearsals on Tuesday, January 9 at 7:00 PM & Saturday 13 at 11:00 AM. Both rehearsals will be held at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 2029 Fisher Street, Madison, WI 53713.
The King Coalition was established in the fall of 1985 as a community group to plan the official City of Madison and Dane County observances of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. The Coalition brings people from all walks of life together in the spirit of true brotherhood and sisterhood to commemorate the life and accomplishments of this renowned leader of the civil rights movement. King Coalition events encourage the people of Dane County to reaffirm their commitment to building a just community out of our racial, religious and economic diversity.
In addition to King Coalition hosted events, other activities commemorating the King Holiday include:
Saturday, January 13 – MLK College Readiness and Success Summit: Designed to help students and parents understand the college process, the Summit will provide resources on precollege program opportunities, how to navigate the college admissions process, and scholarship opportunities from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at Madison College Goodman South Campus. High school students of color, first-generation students, and parents are encouraged to attend. Space is limited. https://tinyurl.com/5577yb5r
Saturday, January 13 – “I Have A Dream” Scholarship Dream Ball: Hosted by Women In Focus, the Scholarship Ball raises funds for scholarships to support both high school seniors and adults returning to continue post-high school education. Women in Focus has awarded over $500,000 in scholarships to Dane County students. The event typically does sell out. Visit https://womeninfocusmadison.org for more information.
Sunday, January 14 – Urban League Outstanding Young Person Recognition: The Urban League of Greater Madison will honor over 200 middle and High School youth who were nominated by their schools for outstanding academic performance and service to their schools and community. Additionally, the Betty Franklin-Hammonds and George Anglin Memorial Scholarships, Delta Sigma Theta Creative Arts Contest, and Mann Scholars awards will be presented. Tickets are available at https://ulgm.org/MLKtickets. The event does typically sell out with nearly 1,000 attendees. Media looking to cover the event can call 608-729-1211 for more information.
