BCAT News

Monday, January 17 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day and there are a number of events in the area being held in the Civil Rights leader’s honor. 

Martin Luther King Jr., born January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia, was an American Baptist minister and activist who became one of the most influential leaders in the American Civil Rights movement from the mid-1950’s until his assassination in 1968. He is honored and remembered on the third Monday of January every year. Martin Luther King Jr. Day became an official United States holiday in 1983 when it was signed into law by then President Ronald Regan. 

Here are some events being held in his honor on Monday: 

52nd Annual MLK Memorial Breakfast
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, 415 Summer Street

“The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast, founded by St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church and Union United Methodist Church 51 years ago, is the nation’s longest-running breakfast celebration. This year Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast Committee will present a vibrant event paying tribute to Black women throughout the arc of history who have shepherded the dream of social justice. In partnership with Northeastern University, the 52nd annual breakfast has been reimagined as a hybrid virtual event that will include our traditional multifaceted, passion-filled celebratory program, and an extended program of virtual teach-ins.”
Click Here for more information. 

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Open House
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Boston Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave, Boston 

“Join us for our annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Open House, presented in partnership with Citizens. This year, the MFA offers free admission—including access to special exhibitions—for Massachusetts residents. Celebrate the legacy of Dr. King by surrounding yourself with art, culture, and community! And don’t miss the magnificent art of Roxbury’s own Ekua Holmes in “Paper Stories, Layered Dreams,” on view through January 24, 2022.”
Click Here for more information. 

Free Admission at the Institute of Contemporary Arts
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: The Institute of Contemporary Art 25 Harbor Shore Dr, Boston, MA

“The ICA is offering free admission for all on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Mon, Jan 17. Celebrate the legacy of MLK at the ICA.”
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MLK Day: Collaging our Identities
Time: 4 p.m.
Location: Peabody Essex Museum, 161 Essex St, Salem 

“Join us for a special program to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Artists Luis Martin and Aaron Marin will guide viewers through a collage-making session and prompt a conversation reflecting on social and civic issues, injustice, and race while tying in their lived experiences as men of color, Latinx and Black. In an invitation to participate, viewers will have free access to a digital collage download with images and visual elements selected by both artists.”
Click Here for more information. 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum 25 Evans Way, Boston,

“Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and legacy and carry on his pursuit of justice with a Day of Service at the Gardner Museum. Excerpts of Dr. King’s speeches will serve as inspiration for art kits that you can take home to design your own advocacy or postcard to share a message of hope with someone important in your life. 

In Calderwood Hall, watch Witness: Spirituals and the Classical Music Tradition, a four-part video series featuring Boston-based ensemble Castle of our Skins. This series explores the ways some Black American composers have found inspiration in the rich tradition of spirituals. Then, breathe in the beauty of the Midwinter Tropics Installation in the Courtyard. Pause for a brief guided meditation on your mobile device or pick up a sketching card to capture inspiration you find in the galleries.”
Click Here for more information.