Martin Luther King Jr. Day is fast approaching, and Ohio University is gearing up for its annual celebration of the civil rights leader and activist. The celebration begins on January 20th, 2025, lasting all week long, and its theme this year is “King’s Dream, Our Work.”
What Sorts of Events Will Take Place?
The lineup for this year’s MLK Celebration is packed with a number of events for both students and residents of Athens. The celebration kicks off on January 20th with a MLK Jr. Celebratory Brunch following the annual silent march.
The silent march is hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., a predominantly African-American fraternity. The march starts at 9:30am on the 20th at the Good Shepherd Church in Athens. The silent march gives attendees the chance to reflect on the history and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement in America.
Once the silent march ends, folks can make their way to the Baker Center Ballroom at 10am for the celebratory brunch. Tickets are required to attend the brunch and can be found here. All food and refreshments will be provided. While at the brunch, attendees will listen to multiple keynote speakers talk about related topics. Past brunches have also included both song and dance performances by talented members of the community.
Once the brunch wraps up, the rest of the week is peppered with engaging events and activities surrounding Martin Luther King Jr. and black excellence. While the schedule for the 2025 MLK Celebration week’s events is still to be determined at the time of writing, past years have included plenty of ways to get involved.
Previous celebrations have included comedy and variety shows, panels with African-American speakers, service fairs, and even special screenings in collaboration with the Athena Cinema. The celebration is intended to be a way to reflect on African-American history in America and for the local community to come together in honor of a prominent—perhaps one of the most important—human rights activists to have lived.
If you’re interested in celebrating the life and excellence of MLK Jr. with a likeminded community of folks, keep your eyes peeled to OU’s website as the week draws closer for a list of events to attend and participate in.