A wide variety of St. Louis events are marking Martin Luther King Day. While many people will participate in marches (one starts at 11 a.m. at the Old Courthouse following a 9:30 a.m. program Jan. 19) and attend discussions, some will spend the day volunteering.
The slain civil rights leader was born on Jan. 15, 1929. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
Nearly 300 volunteers are expected to participate in the 7th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service organized by the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Organizers of the event want the holiday to be a “day on, not a day off.”
Volunteers will have the opportunity to spend their day of service at one of 13 locations throughout the region. The sites applied to be part of the day of service in October. They include St. Ann schools, the O'Fallon Park Recreation Center and the Children’s Home Society. Upgrading school facilities, reading to children, and landscaping are just some of the service activities organized for Monday.
Kristin Wyninegar, UMSL student and co-organizer of the event say the number of volunteers has grown each year as more students, teachers and community members are looking to honor King’s legacy by serving the community.
"I think that change starts with a community being together and building that trust within each other,” she said. “So I think that first step is to build that trust is with service.”
UMSL graduate student and co-organizer of the event Demetrius Reynolds says it makes sense to remember King’s achievements through volunteering. Reynolds says King was a servant to the people.
“It was ultimately his character and his choosing to serve our nation and to serve our people and I think it’s important that we in any way try to hold ourselves up to that standard.”
Registration for volunteering is closed, however organizers say a few walk up spots are often available on the day itself. (St. Louis Public Radio is a sponsor of the UMSL MLK program)
In the past, AmeriCorps and the city have organized volunteers for Martin Luther King day, however neither is hosting service based events this year. Representatives from AmeriCorps say they are unable to host a service event this year because they are short staffed.
This year Martin Luther King day may also be marked with acts of civil disobedience. Several activist groups have put out calls to "#ReclaimMLK," as a national day of "resistance to injustice."
Event Guide (list complied with the help of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. State Celebration Commission 2015 events )
‣ Event:Big Words Collages
Date: Jan. 15
Time: 4-5 p.m.
Place: St. Louis Public Library Carondelet Branch, 6800 Michigan Ave.
‣ Event:Martin Luther King Peace Mural
Date: Jan. 15
Time: 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Place: St. Louis Public Library, Barr Branch, 8448 Church Rd.
‣ Event: Throwing and Growing Foundation Presents Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Date: Jan. 16
Time: 4 p.m.
Place: The Youth and Family Center, 818 Cass Ave.
‣ Event: MLKJr. Celebration Weekend
Date: Jan. 17 & 18
Time: 8:30 a.m.– 12:30 p.m., 3-5 p.m.
Place: First Presbyterian Church of Ferguson
About: Workshop on the racial divide
‣ Event: MLK Family Celebration
Place: Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd.
Date: Jan. 17, 2015
Time: 10 a.m.
‣ Event: Dr. King Jr. Free Movie
Date: Jan. 17 & 19
Time: 11 a.m., 1 & 3 p.m.
Place: Afro World, 7276 Natural Bridge Rd.
‣ Event: Fifth Annual Rhythm & Rhyme: A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Date: Jan. 17
Time: 11 a.m.– 1 p.m.
Place: St. Louis Public Library Buder Branch, 4401 Hampton Ave.
‣ Event: Dr. King, Michael Brown, #Ferguson and the Future of America
Date: Jan. 17
Time: 2 p.m.
Place: Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd.
‣ Event: Celebrating Greatness through Diversity
Date: Jan. 18
Time: 11 a.m.
Place: New Ebenezer M.B. Church of the Ville 4341 W. Maffitt Ave.
‣ Event: “I May Not Get There With You”
Date: Jan. 18
Time: 3 p.m.
Place: Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd.
‣ Event: 22nd Annual Skinker DeBaliviere MLK Celebration
Date: Jan. 18
Time: 3 p.m.
Place: Grace United Methodist Church, 6199 Waterman Blvd.
‣ Event: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Program
Date: Jan. 18
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Place: Clayton Missionary Baptist Church, 2801 N. Union Blvd.
‣ Event: 12th Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Date: Jan. 18
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Hazelwood Civic Center East, 8969 Dunn Rd.
‣Event: Let Freedom Ring
Date: Jan. 19
Time: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Place: Christ Church Cathedral Episcopal Church, 13th & Locust streets
‣Event: Civic Ceremony, March of Celebration and Interfaith Service
Date: Jan. 19
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Place: Old Court House, 4th & Market streets
About: 9:30 is a civic ceremony; 11 a.m. a march begins to Harris-Stowe State University where an interfaith service will start at approximately 12:30 p.m.
‣Event: Dr. Marin Luther King Jr. Program
Date: Jan. 19
Time: 10 a.m.
Place: Touhill Performing Arts Center, University of Missouri-St. Louis
‣Event: Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: a Musical Celebration
Date: Jan. 19
Time: 1 p.m.
Place: Keating Auditorium, Kirkwood High School, 801 W. Essex Ave., Kirkwood
About: $5 for adults, free for students
‣Event: King Me: A VerbQuake Youth Poetry Slam Event
Date: Jan. 19
Time: 1 p.m.
Place: Urb Arts, 2600 N. 14th St.
‣Event: Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Lecture
Date: Jan. 19
Time: 4 p.m.
Place: Washington University School of Medicine, Eric P. Newman Center, 320 S. Euclid Ave.
‣Event: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration
Date: Jan. 19
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Washington University, Danforth Campus
