Monday is the national holiday set aside each year to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., known around the world for his peaceful activism during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. He was born on January 15, 1929. Dr King led the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott and as a pastor, later became the first president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. As most know, Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1964, allegedly by James Earl Ray, who was convicted for the crime.
Each year, a number of events are held throughout the nation on MLK Jr. Day to honor Dr. King. Locally, these events are scheduled:
Pflugerville:
Gateway Church Pflugerville, 1201 S. Heatherwilde Blvd., will present a socially distanced, drive-in experience of a multimedia presentation with prompts for personal and collective prayer. It is set for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event is to honor his legacy, learn history, lament injustice and respond in united intercession, with Civil Righteousness Austin.
United Way of Williamson County:
An MLK Day of Service was set for Monday morning, asking the public to volunteer their time to help organizations in the community. Information from the UWWC website is as follows:
Your investment of financial resources is needed in order to provide meaningful volunteer opportunities in the community. Here are a couple of ways you can invest in volunteers and service to our community.
- Click here to invest in volunteerism.
- Does your company offer a volunteer grant program? Click here to Double the Impact of your time by registering for a volunteer grant from your employer.
- Provide in-kind donations for projects and volunteer events organized through United Way of Williamson County. Call (512) 255-6799.
The MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President’s national call to service initiative.
Austin Community College:
While the campus is closed for the legal holiday, the campus is hosting virtual events to honor Dr. King. The events are free and open to the community.
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12:30 – 2 p.m. | ACC Remembers Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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Students, faculty, staff, and the community will remember the life, liberty, and legacy of Dr. King through discussions, short reflective readings, excerpts of some of Dr. King’s speeches, and question and answer period.
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2:30 & 3p.m. | MLK Celebration: Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Circles
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TRHT circle works to “bring about transformational and sustainable change, and to address the historic and contemporary effects of racism.”
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For more information and to register, visit austincc.edu/trht.