City of Louisville to host several events on Monday to celebrate MLK Day

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The city of Louisville is hosting a series of events to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The public is invited to a birthday celebration for King being held Monday morning at King Solomon Baptist Church in the city's California neighborhood.

The 52nd annual MLK Jr. Motorcade and Peace Walk will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 15, and will make its way through the community to Chickasaw Park. The group will travel down Broadway to begin MLK services at the church.

"On this incumbent Monday, rain or shine, sleet or snow, we're going to come together and share with the world that we're going to keep the dream alive," Rev. Charles Elliott Jr., who walked and worked with King, said Friday.

Lunch will be available after the service. There will also be roundtable discussions about issues in the community. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is expected to be among the speakers.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - 2021 Parade

The University of Louisville also has a host of events scheduled for Monday, including MLK Day of Service. From 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., students will make blankets, pack warm kits and clean out the Cardinal Cupboard at the school's Student Activities Center.

At 11:30 a.m., students will pack meals for those in need at Love the Hungry on Fern Valley Road.

The university's Black Law Students Association and Brandeis Law School Professor Marc Murphy will host a screening of King's "I Have a Dream" speech at 11:45 a.m. at the Muhammad Ali Center on North 6th Street. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and a tour of the Ali Center museum.

The Muhammad Ali Center will be open and free to the public on Monday in celebration of MLK Day. The Center will show the "I Have a Dream" speech at the top of each hour from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. At noon, the Center's Council of Students will host their annual "Continuing the Dream, Continuing the Legacy" panel discussion. For more information, click here.

UofL's Theatre Department is hosting a celebration of King's legacy from 1-4 p.m. at The Playhouse on South 3rd Street. The event will include speakers and performances from local high school students and local artists.

Also on Monday, Cathedral of the Assumption on South 5th Street in downtown Louisville will host its 37th annual communitywide Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration at 10 a.m.

Central District Baptist Association is holding a Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at St. Paul Shively Heights Baptist Church at 2627 Crums Lane from 6:30-8 p.m. Proceeds from the event will benefit Dare to Care. Rev. Charles E. Kirby, Rev. Dr. Kevin W. Cosby, Rev. Robert C. Drake Sr., Jayson Clayborn and Rev. Deryk Hayes will speak at the event.