Each year, UW Health collects events honoring the life and legacy of MLK happening on campus and around the Madison community. The below post is copied from UW Health’s intranet, called The Pulse.
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, Jan. 17
UW School of Medicine and Public Health and UW Health Film Viewing and Conversation
- Time: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Location: Health Sciences Learning Center Room 1335 & virtual
- Event details: Film Screening “Face of Medicine” and Conversation
- All SMPH and UW Health faculty, staff, employees, learners and alumni are invited to a film screening and conversation. This event is co-hosted by SMPH and UW Health. The event will have both in-person and virtual options. Lunch will be provided to in-person attendees. This year’s film is Faces of Medicine, an independent documentary exploring the paths of Black female physicians in the United States.
34 Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Free Community Dinner
- Time: 4:30-7 p.m.
- Location: Gordon Dining & Event Center, 770 W. Dayton St., Madison
- Event details: Share a meal with friends in Dr. King’s spirit of beloved community. There is no cost to attend. The menu will include baked and fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, mac and cheese, biscuits, sweet potato pie, and beverages.
Saturday, Jan. 18
Women in Focus “I Have a Dream” Ball
- Time: 6-11 p.m.
- Location: Monona Terrace
- Cost: $100-150 per person
- Event details: Women in Focus will be hosting their annual scholarship ball at the Monona Terrace. The event raises money for scholarships for students of color. The event features a silent auction and program. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
Sunday, Jan. 19
Ecumenical Martin Luther King, Jr. Service
- Time: 4:30-6 p.m.
- Location: S.S. Morris AME Church, 3511 Milwaukee St, Madison, WI 53714
- Event details: 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, Jan. 20
Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Ceremony
- Time: Noon
- Location: State Capitol Rotunda
- Event details: Under the powerful theme “Justice Lives Here, ” the 2025 event stands as a testament to Wisconsin’s unwavering commitment to inclusivity. We are proud to continue our annual celebration of Dr. King’s life and legacy in words and music, featuring Chicago’s GMAC Mass Choir, Dr. Brianna Ware-Boggs, violinist, guest speaker Marcelia N. Nicholson, Chairwoman Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, the presentation of the MLK Heritage Awards and more. Your presence will further enrich this inclusive gathering. The ceremony will also be broadcast live on Wisconsin Public Radio and PBS Wisconsin.
40th Annual City of Madison & Dane County MLK Day Observance
- Time: 5-8 p.m.
- Location: Overture Center (201 State Street); Capital Theater
- Event details: The highlight of the event will be a keynote speech from Bishop Vashti McKenzie. Bishop McKenzie was the first female elected to office in history of the AME Church. She is currently President/General Secretary of the National Council of Churches where she provides executive leadership to 37 denominations, 100,000 churches and 30 million people. She was appointed by President Obama to the White House Commission of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and named one of the 50 Most Powerful Religious Leaders in the World by Huffington Post. Characterized as “an electrifying preacher,” Bishop McKenzie preaches and teaches globally on women, leadership, and other social justice issues. The program will also feature the MLK Community Choir, presentation of the 2025 MLK Humanitarian Awards by Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Dane County Executive Melissa Agard, a Call to Action, and more. The MLK Community Choir has been an integral part of the official Madison & Dane County King Holiday Observance for many years. The Choir is unique in bringing together community members regardless of musical background for the purpose of performing at this event. It is directed by acclaimed musicians Leotha and Tamera Stanley. No audition is required. To join the Choir community members simply need to attend two rehearsals: Tuesday, Jan. 4 at 6:30 p.m. | Saturday, Ja. 18, 11 a.m. Both rehearsals are at Mt. Zion Baptist Church | 2019 Fisher Street.
Tuesday, Jan. 28
MLK Symposium 2025 with Donzaleigh Abernathy
- Time: 5:30-7p.m.
- Location: Wisconsin Union Theater’s Shannon Hall (800 Langdon St.) at Memorial Union & Virtual
- Cost: Free admission; tickets required
- Event details: We invite you to join us in celebration of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ’s legacy at the 2025 MLK Symposium and community reception on Tuesday, January 28, 2025. This year’s keynote speaker will be actress, author, and activist Donzaleigh Abernathy. Donzaleigh Abernathy is the youngest daughter of American Civil Rights Movement co-founder Rev. Dr. Ralph Abernathy and the goddaughter of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She has been immersed in civil rights activism with her family since childhood, growing up amidst pivotal events such as the Freedom Riders and the March on Washington. She witnessed first-hand the integral decisions that helped shape federal legislation, including the Civil Rights Bill, the Public Accommodations Act, the Voting Rights Act, and the Free Meal Program for Low-Income Students. She is the author of “Partners to History: Martin Luther King, Ralph David Abernathy and the Civil Rights Movement, ” nominated as one of the “Best Books for Young Adults” by the American Library Association. Abernathy is also an accomplished actress who starred in award-winning films and television series, including “Don King-Only in America” and “Miss Evers Boys. ” She produced and directed the documentaries “Saint Francis Medical Center” and “The Women of Niagara.” Her play “Birmingham Sunday” won the Tanne Foundation Award. Abernathy is a founding Trustee of the New Visions Foundation/Coalition for Engaged Education and continues her commitment to social justice and education through her volunteer work with Juveniles in the Los Angeles County Justice System.