5 Ways You Can Spend and Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day Locally
From community cleanups to lecture series to interactive plays, there are plenty of ways to honor Dr. King's legacy on this important day.
Embrace Sculpture in Boston. Getty Images.
On January 15, the Providence Children’s Museum is hosting two performances of MLK: Amazing Grace. In this interactive play, award-winning storytellers and actors, Rochel Coleman and Valerie Tutson, bring history to life by highlighting the accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement. For more information and to register, visit providencechildrensmuseum.org.
The Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council invites community members to join them on January 15 for a Woonasquatucket River cleanup to kick off the new year. This event is part of the MLK National Day of Service, which is the only federal holiday recognized as a day of service to encourage Americans to volunteer in improving their communities. The council plans to clean up the riverbanks at the Contech Medical site and along Route 6, a heavily littered section of the river — due to the latest bout of flooding, the debris has only increased and been carried into the river. Registration is required, and food and drink will be provided for participants. For more information and to register, visit wrwc.org/wp/events/mlk-day-of-service-hartford-avenue-river-clean-day/.
Courtesy of the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council.
To celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and what would have been Dr. King’s ninety-fifth birthday, the Preservation Society of Newport County is offering free general admission to the Breakers and Rosecliff on Monday, January 15. The former will be open for self-guided tours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. while the latter will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The other mansions are closed for the season. Visitors are encouraged to download the Newport Mansions audio tour app prior to arrival and to bring their own earbuds or headsets. Learn more at newportmansions.org.
Head up to Boston to view the brand new Embrace sculpture which depicts Dr. King and his wife Coretta Scott King in a warm embrace. Located in the Boston Common, the sculpture is meant to celebrate the two Civil Rights activists’ history in Beantown and spark a conversation on advancing racial and social justice. Learn more boston.gov/news/embrace-unveiled-boston.
RISD’s signature event of its 2024 MLK Series celebration will be held on Wednesday, January 17 at the RISD Auditorium from 6–7:30 pm. An Evening of “Art and Justice” will include a panel discussion featuring architect Gabrielle Bullock, multidisciplinary creative Walter Cruz and scholar/activist Salamishah Tillet, and a performance by the Prism of Praise Community Gospel Choir. The series will also host its first-ever MLK CommuniTea, a refreshment hour open to all RISD students, faculty and staff. This event will take place in the 20 Washington Place lobby from 3:30–4:30 p.m. (no registration required). Learn more at risd.edu/news/annual-events/mlk-series.
