We encourage you to attend all or some of these events and reflect on the work ahead as we work on dismantling racism in ourselves, in our system and in our community.
Friday, January 14, 2022
Temple Beth El Shabbat Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
7:30 – 9 pm
Virtual event
Temple Beth El is hosting a special Shabbat worship incorporating reading and prayers that reflect on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Kaleem Caire, founder and CEO of One City Schools, will speak about the educational disparities in Madison and about how One City Schools is working to address them.
Saturday, January 15, 2022
Women in Focus “I Have a Dream” Ball
6:30 pm
Virtual event
Women in Focus will be hosting their annual scholarship ball virtually this year. It is free to attend and raises money for scholarships for students of color. The event features a silent auction and program, where UW Health and UnityPoint Health will be honored for our long partnership with Women in Focus. Register online to attend.
Sunday, January 17, 2022
Ecumenical Martin Luther King, Jr. Service
4:30 – 6 pm
Virtual event
Honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by joining this ecumenical service which welcomes members of diverse faith communities hosted by the King Coalition. The event gathers people of diverse spiritual backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, ethnicities and political beliefs to celebrate Dr. King’s dream of social justice and equality. Speakers and instructions on how to view the online broadcast will be posted on the website soon.
Monday, January 17, 2022
MLK Day Youth Call to Service
Virtual option: 10 am – 11:40 am
In-person option: 12:30 – 4:15 pm
The 2022 MLK Day Youth Call to Service event will have a unique format compared to previous years. The day will be split into two components: virtual workshops and activities in the morning followed by limited capacity in-person workshops and activities in the afternoon. Agendas for each session are posted online.
Online registration is required, and space is limited for the in-person option. Interested students must register as part of a group with at least one adult.
Rebroadcast of 2021 State of Wisconsin Tribute and Ceremony
12 – 1 p.m.
Online / radio broadcast
In lieu of the annual State of Wisconsin Tribute and Ceremony, which has been canceled for 2022 due to COVID-19, Wisconsin Public Radio will rebroadcast an encore presentation from 2021, featuring archived performances by students from James C. Wright Middle School in Madison and Chicago’s GMAC Mass Choir, remarks by Gov. Tony Evers, and a keynote address by author Michelle Alexander.
City-County Annual King Holiday Observance
6 – 7 pm
Virtual event
The annual observance will feature keynote speaker Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcom X and award-winning author, educator and producer. The event will also include the presentation of the MLK Humanitarian Award by the City of Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. Noted musician Leotha Stanley will again lead the MLK Community Choir.
Special audio broadcast – “Why Race Matters”
8 p.m.
Online / radio broadcast
In lieu of the annual State of Wisconsin Tribute and Ceremony, which has been canceled for 2022 due to COVID-19, Wisconsin Public Radio will present a special audio broadcast of “Why Race Matters,” hosted by Angela Fitzgerald of PBS Wisconsin’s “Wisconsin Life.”
Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022
MLK Symposium – An Evening with Nikole Hannah-Jones
6:30 p.m.
Wisconsin Union Theater (Shannon Hall at Memorial Union) and streamed online
Join in community for an evening with Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of The 1619 Project, staff writer at The New York Times Magazine, and co-founder of the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting. Hannah-Jones will reflect on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., through the lens of her award-winning work investigating racial injustice and the consequences of slavery in American history.