Honor Dr. King at MLK Events in Michigan

Martin Luther King Jr. Day may look like another Monday in January on the calendar, but the day holds a deeper meaning in Michigan and around the nation.

Many MLK Day events in Michigan continue to be held annually to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr., one of the most prominent leaders of the Civil Rights Movement and a celebrated speaker who is perhaps best known for his “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963.

For nearly 40 years, MLK Day celebrations have been held, including many long-running events in Michigan. From marches and religious services to film screenings, panel discussions, and art exhibitions, King’s impact continues to be felt in Michigan and his legacy continues to be celebrated.

A History of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday in January each year. It honors the legacy of famed civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

A campaign for a day honoring King began soon after his assassination in 1968. It became a reality in 1983 when the holiday was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. It was observed for the first time in 1986.

The Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service coincides with the holiday and encourages citizens to use the day to perform acts of service. The day is coordinated nationally by AmeriCorps, which provides grants to different organizations to coordinate service activities. One of the largest events each year is the Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service. 

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is also observed internationally in some form by Japan, the Netherlands, Canada, and Israel. 

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Events Around Michigan

Detroit MLK Day Rally

8850 Woodward Ave., Detroit

This annual event commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in downtown Detroit. The event begins at noon at begins at St. Matthew’s & St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church. A community meal follows the march.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Peace Walk Celebration

26275 Northwestern Hwy, Southfield

Southfield and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Task Force annually host the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Peace Walk Celebration at 9 a.m. at Hope United Methodist Church. This year’s theme is “Peace and Justice for the Next Generation.”

A program follows the walk at Southfield Pavilion at 26000 Evergreen Road and a free international taste fest follows the program.

MLK Day at The Wright

315 E Warren Ave, Detroit

Each year, the Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit honors the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with a daylong celebration of programming and experiences. The 2026 theme for the community celebration is “We Who Believe in Freedom.”

Activities for the day include a family scavenger hunt, a virtual reality experience that explores the themes of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, hands-on family workshops, a film screening, a keynote speaker and program, and different museum exhibitions.

Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.

20900 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn

For three days, the Henry Ford Museum celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. King with featured programs, living history demonstrations, musical performances, special tours, and more.

Visitors can visit the museum’s civil rights exhibit, “With Liberty and Justice for All.” Some highlights in this exhibition include the Rosa Parks Bus, and several items related to Martin Luther King, Jr., include a memorial button, posters, pins, and a record album.

Admission and parking to the museum are free on MLK Day in recognition of the celebrated day of service.

Let Freedom Ring – MLK Birthday Celebration

2211 Woodward Ave, Detroit

Rainbow PUSH is hosting “Let Freedom Ring,” a free public event at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. The free event will honor luminaries whose deeds have exemplified the life of Dr. King.

Watch Dr. King’s Detroit speech

Online

Dr. King visited Detroit in June 1963 and led a crowd of more than 100,000 down Woodward Ave to Cobo Arena during the “Walk to Freedom.”

After arriving at Cobo Arena, King gave a speech that featured parts of his famous “I Have a Dream” speech that he gave that August during the March on Washington.

Some of the speech was recorded and can be found on YouTube.

MLK Celebration

Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti

Eastern Michigan University hosts a week of events dedicated to the legacy of Dr. King.

The festivities start with a freedom walk where students, staff, and members of the community walk from the MLK statue on campus to the student center. Other events include a president’s luncheon, a book signing, a gallery opening, a panel discussion, and more. 

MLK DAY Film Screening & Artist Talk

1120 E Kearsley St, Flint

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Flint Institute of Arts is hosting a screening of Selma, which recounts King’s 1965 marches from Selma to Montgomery in Alabama.

The FIA will also host other events, including museum tours, a gallery scavenger hunt, a self-guided African American artist guide, and more.

These free programs will take place in the FIA’s Isabel Hall.

MLK Day at the Holland Museum

31 W. 10th Street, Holland

This annual free event at the Holland Museum invites families to come and learn and honor the legacy of Dr. King. Visitors can explore books, materials, and other resources at the Herrick District Library and Holland Museum to create, contribute, and reflect on Dr. King’s impact. The crafts, activities, and read-alouds go until 2 p.m.

2026 MLK Day of Celebration

333 E Michigan Avenue, Lansing

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Mid-Michigan will hold an MLK Day of Celebration event at Lansing Center.

Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Celebration

7400 Bay Rd, University Center

Saginaw Valley State University hosts an annual celebration of the legacy of Dr. King at Malcolm Ford Theatre. The 2026 event will feature Cynthia Marshall as a guest speaker. She is a former executive for AT&T and the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.

The event is free and features the presentation of MLK Scholarship Awards and Drum Major Awards, which recognize members of the Great Lakes Bay Region who advance King’s work and vision through their involvement in the community.

MLK Celebration at Alma College

Over the week of MLK Day, Alma College has several events planned to reflect on his legacy.

The lineup of activities includes a keynote speaker, a poetry slam, and a Unity Celebration, where attendees can celebrate the week’s events with dinner, community, and live entertainment.

Martin Luther King Jr. Week at Central Michigan University

Mt. Pleasant

The third week in January kicks off at Central Michigan University with a week’s worth of events to honor Dr. King. Most events are free and seating is first-come, first-served.

The events include a charity basketball game, a keynote speaker, a CommUNITY peace march and vigil, a day of service, and a CommUNITY peace service.

MLK Jr. Day Celebration at the Detroit Historical Museum

5401 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48202

Each year, the Detroit Historical Museum holds a free Martin Luther King Day celebration, and in 2026, the museum will host A Dream Rooted in Faith: The Legacy of the Black Church in Detroit During the Civil Rights Movement. 

Visitors to the celebration can gain a better understanding of Dr. King’s work during a presentation on his influence and leadership at Ebenezer Baptist Church. The day will also include arts and crafts activities with themes inspired by King’s work. The celebration concludes with the annual tradition of singing Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday” and sharing mini cupcakes.

MLK Celebration at Michigan State University

East Lansing

Michigan State University holds many events celebrating the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. in the days leading up to and during the week of MLK Jr. Day. 

Events include a community dinner, a lunch and learn event, a panel discussion, a university-wide diversity research showcase, a pop-up exhibition highlighting historical marches and protests, and much more.

MLK Day Celebration at Michigan Tech University

Houghton

Situated at the northern tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan Tech is hosting a MLK Day Celebration of original artwork with the theme of “United through Service.” The exhibit aims to showcase King’s lasting influence with creative expressions on service, unity, and justice. 

Submitted pieces will be displayed in the Van Pelt and Opie Library Exhibit Area from Jan. 16-26. Artwork will also be showcased during the MLK Celebration Dinner, so attendees can enjoy it.

Besides the dinner and the art exhibit, MTU will also host other MLK Day events, including a peace march, acts of service, and an interfaith prayer service.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Symposium at the University of Michigan

Ann Arbor

The University of Michigan’s Hill Auditorium will host its annual free MLK Symposium. The theme for 2026 is Unbowed and Unbroken: The Enduring Struggle for Justice, and the event features keynote speakers Donzaleigh Abernathy and Derrick Johnson. 

Abernathy is the godchild of Dr. King and played a key role in integrating schools in the South. Johnson is the president and CEO of the NAACP. The event will also be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person.

MLK Day events at the Detroit Institute of Arts

5200 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202

The Detroit Institute of Arts is renowned in Detroit and in Michigan for its amazing artistic displays. But the DIA also celebrates the life and legacy of Martin Luther King with several events.

Collage Portraits invites visitors to flex their artistic muscles and use paper, fabric, and other materials to create a unique collage portrait inspired by the work of artists displayed in the DIA’s African American Galleries.

The DIA and the Wright Museum also team up to host Community Sing Along: Songs of Civil Rights. This concert invites guests to raise their voices and unite to celebrate the power of music. The program provides guests with lyrics and a band of Detroit singers and musicians to lead the way. Guests who want to attend are encouraged to register in advance.

Before the event, guests are encouraged to tour the DIA’s new African American Galleries. After the event, guests can continue the celebration by marching to the Wright Museum for more programs.

Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration at Michigan United

13651 Dequindre St, Detroit, MI 48212

Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church celebrates a life of democracy by celebrating the life of Dr. King. The theme for 2026 is “My Freedom. My Resistance. Our America,” and the church invites everyone to stand together and advocate for change.

Honor a Powerful Legacy at an MLK Day Event in Michigan

From downtown Detroit and surrounding Metro Detroit cities to Flint, Battle Creek, and Lansing, there is no shortage of Martin Luther King Jr. Day events in Michigan for those who want to honor the endearing legacy of Dr. King.

Whether you attend a community gathering or volunteer your time to complete acts of service, there are many ways Michigan residents, young and old, can learn about, explore, and celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.