MLK Day celebrations in Michiana

By: Maura Johnson

Posted: Jan 11, 2021 9:35 PM EST | Updated: Jan 18, 2021 11:12 AM EST

NOW: MLK Day celebrations in Michiana

A number of cities across Michiana are offering virtual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations for residents to attend during the holiday week.

Berrien County

Benton Harbor: “Now is the Time! The MLK Celebration Week” – Jan. 18-22
- Monday, January 18
  - 8:30 - 10 a.m. – MLK Celebration Week Kickoff
  - 7 - 8:30 p.m. – Book Discussion Group: May We Forever Stand: A History of the Black National Anthem
- Tuesday, January 19
  - 10 - 10:30 a.m. – MLK Trivia
  - 4 - 5:30 p.m. – Discussion Group: I See Me, I See You, I See Us: Children’s Books about Diversity
  - 7 - 8:30 p.m – Discussion Group: Juneteenth
- Wednesday, January 20
  - 1 - 1:30 p.m. – Civil Rights Movement Trivia
  - 7 - 8:30 p.m. – Discussion Group: Letter from a Birmingham Jail – How Far Have We Come?
- Thursday, January 21
  - 10 - 10:30 a.m. – Local Civil Rights Trivia
  - 7 - 8:30 p.m. – Discussion Group: Social Justice: A Matter of Equity
- Friday, January 22
  - 1 - 1:30 p.m. – Miscellaneous Trivia
  - 2 - 3 p.m. - Press Conference/Public Art Special Announcement
  - 7 - 8:30 p.m. – Discussion Group: "The Best of Enemies" – The 2019 Major Motion Picture
- Monday, January 18 – Thursday, January 21
  - United Way of Southwest Michigan Food Drive (virtual)
  - Martin's Dream: Virtual theater performance for children ages 8+, free streaming
- Monday, January 18 – Friday, January 22
  - MLK Fundles (art activity packets, while supplies last)
- Monday, January 18 – Saturday, February 6
  - United Way of Southwest Michigan 21-day Equity Challenge
Celebration Cinema Benton: Celebration Cinema Presents: Online Movie Conversations (Note: "One Night in Miami" is playing at all Celebration Cinema theaters, while "MLK/FBI" is exclusive to Studio Park in Grand Rapids, Mich. These movie discussions can be accessed online.)
- Monday, January 18
  - 7 – 8:15 p.m. – “One Night in Miami” Movie Discussion
- Sunday, January 24
  - 4 – 5:15 p.m. – “MLK/FBI” Movie Discussion

St. Joseph County, Indiana

South Bend: 35th annual MLK, Jr. Celebration and Day of Service
- Monday, January 18
  - 9 a.m. – Traditional program, featuring keynote speaker and awards ceremony
  - 10:15 a.m. – Workshop on race and inequality and how to create a more equitable community
Ivy Tech Community College: Ivy Tech Kokomo’s 17th annual “Doing the Dream” program
- Friday, January 29
  - 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Virtual community banquet with keynote speaker Bakari Sellers
Indiana University South Bend: Student Affairs & Diversity events
- Sunday, January 17
  - 7 – 8:30 p.m. – Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. with April Ryan
- Monday, January 18
  - 9 – 9:30 a.m. – IU’s Where Do We Go from Here: Social Justice Conference
- Tuesday, January 19
  - 12 – 1 p.m. – Strengths and Challenges of Indigenous peoples of the Americas
- Wednesday, January 20
  - 12 – 1 p.m. – Labor Justice and Income Inequality
- Thursday, January 21
  - 4 – 5 p.m. – Remember Martin Luther King, Jr. and His Continued Relevance
- Friday, January 22
  - 5 – 6 p.m. – Keeping Dreams Alive – Show us your Dream!
Spectrum Health Lakeland: Sponsoring MLK Jr. Day events
- Monday, January 18
  - 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. – Community food truck distribution in Benton Harbor
- Friday, January 22
  - 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. – MLK Commemoration Week Blood Drive at the Consortium for Community Development
The History Museum and the Studebaker National Museum: Free admission to both museums
- Monday, January 18
  - 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. – Free admission on this day to celebrate MLK Jr. Day

Kosciusko County

Warsaw: MLK Celebration Event with The War Room’s Karen Abercrombie
- Monday, January 18
  - 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – Virtual and in-person event with Karen Abercrombie

Elkhart County

Elkhart: MLK Jr. Day of Service Food & Clothing Drive at the Tolson Community Center
- Wednesday, January 13 - Friday, January 15
  - 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. – Food & clothing drive to benefit Guidance Ministries and students in Elkhart Community Schools
- Monday, January 18
  - 3 – 5 p.m. – Food & clothing drive to benefit Guidance Ministries and students in Elkhart Community Schools