Martin Luther King Jr. Day Events 2019
Here’s a roundup of Minneapolis and St. Paul events Saturday, Sunday and Monday commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
SATURDAY, JAN. 19-MONDAY, JAN. 21
St. Paul: MLK Weekend at the Minnesota History Center. Family art activities, service projects, performances, closing of “The 1968 Exhibit,” noon to 3 p.m. Saturday through Monday. Together We Sing Festival led by VocalEssence, 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday (registration required). $6-$12. 345 W. Kellogg Blvd. 651-259-3000, mnhs.org.
SUNDAY, JAN. 20
Minneapolis: 38th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Concert, intermixing King’s words with musical performances. Featuring VocalEssence Singers of This Age, Ginger Commodore, the University of Minnesota student brass ensemble, others. 3 p.m. Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 Fourth St. S. Free. diversity.umn.edu/events/martin-luther-king-jr-tribute.
MONDAY, JAN. 21
St. Paul: “Women of Color in STEM” celebration, with keynote by Dr. Mae Jemison, the first female African-American astronaut to travel in space. Remarks by Gov. Tim Walz, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, 3M CEO Mike Roman. Music by Chadwick “Niles” Phillips, the Minnesota Orchestra, Indigenous Roots, Ray Covington. Youth Rally at 9 a.m., program 10 a.m.-noon. Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, 345 Washington St., St. Paul. Free. facebook.com/mnmlkholiday
St. Paul: Readings in partnership with NCAA Read to the Final Four. Three local authors read from their children’s books; participants get free copies while supplies last. Games, giveaways. 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. $12.95. Minnesota Children’s Museum, 10 W. Seventh St. mcm.org.
St. Paul: Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance beginning at 8:30 a.m. with visits to Twin Cities sites to learn about King’s legacy of community. 11 a.m. chapel service led by Don Samuels, CEO of MicroGrants and a Minneapolis civil rights leader. 12:30 p.m. lunch to share stories, learnings and experiences. Olson Campus Center, Luther Seminary, 2481 Como Ave. No RSVP required. https://www.luthersem.edu/calendar/. 651-641-3416.
Minneapolis: “Doing for Others: A Call to Social Action,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Breakfast. Keynote by Don Lemon, anchor of “CNN Tonight.” Music by Sounds of Blackness. Sponsored by the General Mills Foundation and the United Negro College Fund. 7 a.m. at the Armory, 500 Sixth St. S. The event is sold out. Live broadcast beginning at 8 a.m. on TPT2; streaming at TPT.org; rebroadcast 7 p.m. Monday on TPT MN. mlkbreakfast.com/Breakfast.aspx.
Other communities: East-metro viewing of Holiday Breakfast program sponsored by Interfaith Action of Greater St. Paul. Sites host a live broadcast of the event, a hot breakfast and local programming. Registration has closed, but walk-ins will be accepted as capacity allows. East-metro sites include Kagin Commons at Macalester College, 1600 Grand Ave., St. Paul; Mount Zion Temple, 1300 Summit Ave., St. Paul; White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church, 328 Maple St., Mahtomedi; St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, 111 E. Orleans St., Stillwater. $5 for breakfast in most locations. interfaithaction.org/mlk.
Minneapolis: Convocation with speaker Terrance Kwame-Ross, an Augsburg associate professor who partners with St. Paul Public Schools and St. Paul Parks and Recreation to develop programs for black and brown male youth. 1 p.m. Foss Center, Augsburg College, 2211 Riverside Ave. Open to the public. augsburg.edu/convo/mlk/.