Calendar of Events
Courageous Leadership and an Unwavering Commitment to Civil Rights, Equity, and Social Justice
A variety of exciting and educational opportunities will be offered to the MSU Community in celebration of the legacy of Dr. King and historical events that took place in our nation and on our campus.
MLK questions can be directed to Audrey Bentley at 517-353-4563.
Media contact: Henry Mochida
2024 Events will be available soon.
ADD YOUR EVENT: If your unit or department is planning an event for this year's celebration, please complete this form to be added to the compiled list of activities for this year. Details about events should be submitted as soon as possible in order to be included in event promotion.
2023 Events are below
The events line up for the 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Celebration are below!
Did you attend an event this year? Let us know about your experience via this survey.
Events Happening All Week
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Stuff the Library Book Drive
The MSU Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Celebration Planning Committee is hosting another Stuff the Library event as a component of this year's celebration to benefit Community Schools. The event aims to fill school libraries in with books on topics of social justice and with characters representing diverse backgrounds.
Will you help us reach our goal of $15,000 and over 1,000 books donated? Through our partnerships with local schools and organizations, your support helps raise awareness around social justice, assists in promoting books with diverse representation or characters, stories, and authors and gets the books into the hands of children ages 0-18 in Flint and the surrounding area.
You can be involved in several ways:
SHOP
- Amazon Wishlist and mail books to the donation collection point address saved under MSU MLK Committee with the Amazon Wishlist. Books will be dispersed to local schools and organizations.
- Or shop a Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) owned bookstore or local book store like bookshop.org, liberationstationbookstore.com/, or locally owned Black book store, Socialite Society, located in the Lansing Mall. The Amazon list can still be referenced, or you can choose a book of your liking that fits the theme!
DROP
- In the mail – from BIPOC or local bookstores to:
WorkLife Office, C/O MLK Stuff Library, 479 West Circle Drive Linton Hall, Suite 116, East Lansing, MI 48824 - In person – new books you wish to donate at the MSU WorkLife Office. Contact Jaimie Hutchison (hutchj@msu.edu) with any questions.
DONATE
- To our Crowd Power page and we will do the shopping for you!
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MSU Museum: Voices from Black Bottom, Detroit Community History
FREE | MSU Museum Open Hours (Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.)
Share the richness of Black Bottom, Detroit’s community history and stories at the MSU Museum through a self-guided exhibition experience (recommended time: 30 minutes). See the unique “signature quilt,” created by women from the historic Zion Congregational Church of God in Christ in the mid 20th century and embroidered with their names and other personal information. Hear the voices of current church elders and relatives remembering the quilt contributors from their own youth, impacts on their lives, and life in this close-knit community. Come explore the role of oral histories and community artifacts as cultural transmission, preservation, and research and leave inspired to document your own community stories! Special audio resources for available MLK Celebration Week.
Tuesday, January 16
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Unity Dinner
FREE | Kellogg Center | 5 – 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 4:30 p.m.) | Registration Required (Registered guests can pick up their ticket on the evening of the event in the Centennial Room, located right across the hall from the Big 10 Rooms at the Kellogg Center.)
On Tuesday, January 12, 2024, the 44rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Unity Dinner will take place at the Kellogg Center Hotel & Conference Center.
Community was extremely important to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. During his short lifetime of 39 years, he came to understand and appreciate the interrelatedness of all humanity. Dr. King would repeatedly say in speeches and writings that, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly."Here we will honor Dr. King's legacy by being in community over a meal. This is a free event, and pre-registration is required. Seating is limited, and this form will automatically turn off when capacity has been reached.
Media contact Henry Mochida
Friday, Jan. 13
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2023 MLK Student Leadership Conference
STUDENT EVENT – FREE | MSU Union | Noon - 4 p.m. | Registration Required - Registration will start at 11:00 a.m.
Please join 2023 MLK Student Committee within the 2023 MLK Commemorative Committee for the annual MLK Student Leadership Conference. The conference will feature presentations, entertainment, keynote speaker, and lunch. Registration for the conference is at no cost to MSU students; however, you must register for the conference no later than Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023. An MLK Student Leadership Conference packet will be provided to all registered participants while supplies last and will include a conference t-shirt. The Conference will also include an informational and student organizational resource fair.
The Keynote speaker will be Dr. Kelsie Reed. Dr. Reed is a nationally certified school psychologist who presently works in Prince George’s County Public Schools in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. She graduated from Loyola University Chicago with her PhD. Dr. Reed is passionate about advancing educational equity for minoritized students. She also runs a social justice advocacy Instagram page @sassy4socialjustice. She is the co-author of “Hacking Deficit Thinking”.
Learn more about the 2023 MLK Student Leadership Conference and register.
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6th Annual Diversity Research Showcase
FREE | MSU Union & Virtual | 1 – 5 p.m. | Registration Required
With support from the Honors College, Undergraduate Research, the Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, the College of Arts & Letters, James Madison College, and the College of Social Science, the 6th Annual Diversity Research Showcase (DRS) will take place on Friday, January 13, 2023, from 1:00-5:00PM ET. Join us for the virtual and in-person showcase featuring MSU undergraduate student research on issues of diversity that advance inclusion.
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OISS Coffee Hour
FREE | International Center, Spartan Rooms B&C | 4 – 6 p.m.The OISS Coffee Hour is a free event where students, staff, faculty, and community members gather to connect over coffee.
Join on Friday, Jan. 13, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. This coffee hour is co-hosted by the Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion.
For questions or more information, email isp.oisslive@msu.edu.
Saturday, Jan. 14
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Weekend Wellness A Dreamer’s Mindset: Healthy Strategies for Achieving Wellness and Building Community Event
FREE | IM Sports East | 8 p.m. - midnight
In recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy of living with intention, the 2023 MLK Student Committee within the 2023 MLK Commemorative Committee and Recreational Sports and Fitness will host a Health and Wellness “Spartan Glow and Flow” skating event. The event will promote campus-wide wellness and healthy goal setting grounded in perseverance, purpose, and building community.
Event will be held from 8 p.m.-midnight (EDT), Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, in the IM Sports East. Doors will open at 7p.m. (EDT).
The event will feature Wellness activity stations along with a pop-up roller skating rink. Skates will be provided free of charge to all participants.
Event will also feature an informational Health and Wellness workshop on being proactive for health and wellness for the semester.
Give-aways and food will be provided.
All participants will receive a “A Dreamer’s Mindset” t-shirt while supplies last.
If you have any questions regarding the event, please contact Ladell Watson via email at watso241@msu.edu.
Proudly hosted by Student Involvement and Leadership and Recreational Sports and Fitness. Sponsored by ASMSU, UAB, Recreational Sports and Fitness and Student Involvement and Leadership.
Sunday, Jan. 15
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MLK Holiday Ecumenical Service
FREE | Virtual | 10 a.m. | Registration Required
Please join us for a Ecumenical Service in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. The event will be jointly hosted by numerous student faith-based organizations and will feature a variety of artistic faith-based performances.
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Jazz: Spirituals, Prayer and Protest Concert
FREE ticketed event | Fairchild Theatre | 3 p.m. (doors open at 2:30 p.m.)
Free tickets are available over the phone at (517) 353-5340 or for pick-up from the College of Music main office (333 W. Circle Drive, East Lansing) M-F, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
The public is invited to enjoy a free jazz concert and presentation Sunday, Jan. 15, at 3 p.m. in Fairchild Theatre. This commemorative concert will celebrate the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr. and feature MSU Jazz Orchestras and special guests.
Monday, Jan. 16
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2023 MLK Commemorative March
FREE | Begins at Beaumont Tower | 9 a.m.
The annual 2023 MLK Commemorative March will start at 9 a.m., Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. The March will begin at Beaumont Tower and will conclude at the proposed location for the MSU Multicultural Center (near the River Trail and Shaw Hall).
The March is collaboratively hosted by the MSU Zeta Delta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and the 2023 MLK Student Committee within the 2023 MLK Commemorative Committee. Speakers will include community members, campus dignitaries and student leaders. All organizations are invited to participate in the March. If your organization would like to participate in the March, please complete the March registration form.
Individual March participants do not have to register.
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Lift Every Voice and Sing: Beaumont Tower Carillon Performance
FREE | Beaumont Tower
The MSU College of Music is pleased to present carillonist Laurie Harkema performing on the bells of Beaumont Tower at noon on Monday, January 16. In honor of this special holiday, Laurie will open with Lift Every Voice and Sing, followed by American spirituals and much more. Free and open to the public on the grounds near Beaumont Tower, stop by and hear this unique instrument on our campus ring out the sounds of hope and freedom.
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Submissions Due: Martin Luther King, Jr. Advancing Inclusion through Research Award
Submissions are due by MLK Day, January 16, 2023
In an effort to build the body of work authored by students that supports the MSU and MLK, Jr. ideals of inclusive excellence, we encourage submissions of MSU student research papers and creative projects on topics on inclusion, diversity, marginalized populations, and human and civil rights.
MSU members of Honors College, James Madison College, Lyman Briggs College, or the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities during the Fall 2022 semester are eligible to apply.
The authors of the top three projects will win monetary prizes.
First Prize: $600
Second Prize: $500
Third Prize: $300 -
2023 MLK Commemorative Community Service Opportunities
Spartans are encouraged to engage in community service on the MLK Holiday in honor of Dr. King.
Please view the CCEL website for more information on community service offerings: https://engage.msu.edu/about/departments/cslce. Students are encouraged to make a personal commitment to engage in a community service activity of their choice on this day and volunteer in their community to support the ideals of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's commitment to service to your community. Students are encouraged to participate in community service in their home communities if they are not on campus for the MLK holiday.
Registration is not needed, but students are encouraged to log their hours in MSU Civic Life App portal.
Tuesday, Jan. 17
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2023 Springticipation and MLK Cultural Showcase @ Springticipation
FREE | 5 – 8 p.m. | STEM Teaching and Learning Facility
Please join the 2023 MLK Student Committee within the 2023 MLK Commemorative Committee in collaboration with the Office of Spartan Experiences during their annual Springticipation event. Springticipation will feature a social justice themed arts and cultural performance during the event. Event will be hosted at the STEM building from 5 to 8 p.m. The event will also feature the annual Springticipation Student Involvement Engagement Fair as well as the Springticipation Cultural Showcase.
Please use the “Involve at State” Springticipation page link for more information: https://spartanexperiences.msu.edu/about/upcoming-events.html.
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Toward Freedom Film Series: What Do You Have to Lose?
FREE | 7 p.m. | Virtual | Registration Required
What Do You Have to Lose? Explores the history of race in the United States to shed light on the current political and racial landscape in America during the post-Obama age of Trump. From Charlottesville and the rise of the alt-right to Black Lives Matter and the death of George Floyd, this film takes an arresting look at how did we get here, why does it matter, and what do we, as individuals and a nation, have to lose? Directed by Trimiko Melancon.Screening will be followed by a discussion with the film's director and Professor of African American and African Studies at Michigan State University, Trimiko Melancon.
Description from: Addington, Melanie. “A Conversation with Trimiko Melancon (What Do You Have to Lose?).” Hammer to Nail, Hammer to Nail, 9 Nov. 2020, https://www.hammertonail.com/interviews/trimiko-melancon/.
The MLK Toward Freedom film series will be showcasing films that unveil stories of perseverance through adversity due to systemic oppression because of race, gender, and socio-economic standings. The stories shown through the film series will engage the viewers through narratives that reflect the personal experiences of many. These accounts mirror the stories of the past and signify the importance of remembering Dr. Martin Luther King’s perseverance and actions during the civil rights movements that is continuing to this day.
Toward Freedom is a film series presented by MSU Libraries and WKAR Public Media.
Wednesday, Jan. 18
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Submissions Due: Living the Dream Now
VIDEO SUBMISSION
Please join the 2023 MLK Student Committee within the 2023 MLK Commemorative Committee in collaboration as they host a “Living the Dream Now” event. Submit your own personal video sharing what the 2023 theme: Living Purpose, Promise, and Perseverance means to you. Please send submissions to Ladell Watson, email: watso241@msu.edu, no later than Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023. A video montage entitled “Living the Dream Now” will be created and shown at the end of the week’s events. Videos can be no more than 30 seconds in length.
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Toward Freedom Film Series: Waging Change
FREE | 7 p.m. | Virtual | Registration Required
Join us and the MSU Administrative Professional Association as we watch a screening of "Waging Change." Waging Change shines a light on an American struggle hidden in plain sight: the women-led movement to end the federal tipped minimum wage for restaurant workers, with a special section on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of people serving food in U.S. restaurants are paid a federal sub-minimum wage of only $2.13 an hour and are forced to depend on tips to feed themselves and their families. Women, who hold two-thirds of all tip-based jobs, are especially affected. Their reliance on tips leads to pervasive gender discrimination, sexual assault, and sexual harassment at the hands of customers, coworkers, and bosses – and leaves them with very little ability to speak up. In addition, sub-minimum wages are also paid to workers with disabilities, incarcerated workers, and teen workers in most states. Waging Change weaves together the stories of workers struggling to make ends meet with the efforts of Saru Jayaraman and others of One Fair Wage, who faces off against the powerful National Restaurant Association lobby and fights for one fair wage. Featuring Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and others who have mobilized support for the movement, Waging Change reveals the important role consumers have to play in ending this two-tiered wage system which has already been abolished in seven states.
The MLK Toward Freedom film series will be showcasing films that unveil stories of perseverance through adversity due to systemic oppression because of race, gender, and socio-economic standings. The stories shown through the film series will engage the viewers through narratives that reflect the personal experiences of many. These accounts mirror the stories of the past and signify the importance of remembering Dr. Martin Luther King’s perseverance and actions during the civil rights movements that is continuing to this day.
Toward Freedom is a film series presented by MSU Libraries and WKAR Public Media.
Thursday, Jan. 19
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Access to Care and Opportunities for Health Care Providers
FREE | 6 p.m. | Registration Required
MSU students, faculty and staff are invited to “Access to Care and Opportunities for Health Care Providers,” a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. event sponsored by the MSU Health Colleges.
This event addresses the need for Access to Care. Dr. King always spoke about the disenfranchised and those lacking health care. "Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane." -- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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Toward Freedom Film Series: Generation Startup
FREE | 7 p.m. | Virtual | Registration Required
Join us and the MLK Student Planning Committee to watch a screening of "Generation Startup." This film tracks six young Detroit entrepreneurs over 17 months as they struggle to make their business dreams into successful startup realities.The screening will be followed by a discussion with the young entrepreneurs sharing their own stories and personal journeys and will include a Q&A session. One of the entrepreneur panelists provides content for her own blog, promotes and endorses products, and is trained in Public Health. The other entrepreneur panelist owns his own photography and videography business and an entertainment company specializing in event hosting complete with promotional and DJ services as well as entertainment.
The MLK Toward Freedom film series will be showcasing films that unveil stories of perseverance through adversity due to systemic oppression because of race, gender, and socio-economic standings. The stories shown through the film series will engage the viewers through narratives that reflect the personal experiences of many. These accounts mirror the stories of the past and signify the importance of remembering Dr. Martin Luther King’s perseverance and actions during the civil rights movements that is continuing to this day.
Toward Freedom is a film series presented by MSU Libraries and WKAR Public Media.
Friday, Jan. 20
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2023 MLK Historical Landmark Virtual Student Engagement Event
FREE | 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | Virtual/In-person | Register to view from home, or attend at the Clara Bell Smith Center
Please join the 2023 MLK Student Committee within the 2023 MLK Commemorative Committee in collaboration with Morehouse College students for an engaging virtual viewing of historical MLK landmarks in the city of Atlanta.
Join the webinar via this link. Passcode: MLKTOUR
The event can be viewed virtually from home via Zoom. Register for this option. Zoom link information will be sent upon registration. Or attend the event in-person at the Clara Bell Smith Center (lunch and door prizes will be provided).
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Toward Freedom: Goin’ Back to T Town
FREE | 7 p.m. | Virtual | Registration Required
Goin’ Back to T-Town tells the story of Greenwood, an extraordinary Black community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that prospered during the 1920s and 30s despite rampant and hostile segregation. Torn apart in 1921 by one of the worst racially-motivated massacres in the nation’s history, the neighborhood rose from the ashes, and by 1936 boasted the largest concentration of Black-owned businesses in the U.S., known as “Black Wall Street.” Ironically, it could not survive the progressive policies of integration and urban renewal of the 1960s. Told through the memories of those who lived through the events, the film is a bittersweet celebration of small-town life and the resilience of a community’s spirit.RSVP for the screening here and learn more.
The MLK Toward Freedom film series will be showcasing films that unveil stories of perseverance through adversity due to systemic oppression because of race, gender, and socio-economic standings. The stories shown through the film series will engage the viewers through narratives that reflect the personal experiences of many. These accounts mirror the stories of the past and signify the importance of remembering Dr. Martin Luther King’s perseverance and actions during the civil rights movements that is continuing to this day.
Toward Freedom is a film series presented by MSU Libraries and WKAR Public Media.