As Martin Luther King Jr. Day approaches, there is a lot you can do in Houston to reflect upon his legacy — one that is crucial to the history of civil rights in the United States. This day is not just a day off from school or work, it is a testament to the individuals who worked tirelessly to attain a just and inclusive society.
MLK stressed the importance of service to bring about positive change, and many communities have organized food drives and neighborhood cleanups to make a tangible impact. This week can also be spent attending local events and lectures, watching documentaries, or browsing through a gallery to gain insights into his contributions and the ongoing pursuit of equality in society today.
In this article, the Defender takes a look at all the events happening across the city that could be fun opportunities for both community engagement and reflection on Dr. King’s teachings. Hope you pick the one that speaks to you and take young members of your family and community to make a day out of this iconic man’s birthday!
1. 26th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration at the Children’s Museum Houston in partnership with the Houston Defender
The Houston Defender team, barring a few members.
DATE: 15th January 2024
WHERE: Children’s Museum Houston
WHEN: Starts at 10 am
COST: Free
TICKETS:
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET THERE: This event is hosted by the Children’s Museum Houston and the Houston Defender to honor civil rights leader Dr. King, Jr. It is organized by former State Rep. Garnet Coleman, and will commemorate MLK’s legacy and his call for equality, justice, and the end of racism in America during the civil rights movement.
Another highlight of the event is the Houston Defender’s 90 years of service. The newspaper has been the leading source of information for the city’s Black community and a partner of the
Museum for three decades.
“Houston Defender has been a remarkable and influential partner of Children’s Museum Houston,” said Dr. Lisa Williams, Children’s Museum Houston’s director of gallery programs. “Through our partnership with Houston Defender, we are honored to be able to continue to reach and serve Houston’s Black and multicultural communities. We applaud the Houston Defender’s 90 years of service.”
“The Children’s Museum has offered children in the Houston area an amazing experience of learning, love and fun,” said Defender CEO Sonny Messiah Jiles. “I remember taking my children, who are in their mid-30s, to the museum as they explored the grocery store, learned science through hands-on experiments and developed new friendships. It was fascinating then and they continue the mission today. The Defender is proud to partner with the Children’s Museum Houston for Martin Luther King Jr. Day because it is important our children learn that “character” is the true reflection of a person.”
The event will include a musical performance by Providence Jazz Ensemble, a peace
rally led by the Museum’s Kids’ Committee, and a recital by this year’s Gardere Oratory Speech winner. Children in attendance will also watch excerpts from Dr. King’s historic speech, share their dreams on a dream cloud, design peace doves, and take a pledge to be kind and fair.
The Museum’s highest honor, the Caryakid Award, will be presented to Reverend Dr. Marcus D.
Cosby, who serves as the senior pastor of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, for his dedication to the children of Houston children, and exemplifying the values of Dr. King Jr.
2. Exhibition and lecture at the Holocaust Museum Houston
The Cultivators (2000), oil on canvas, by Samuel L. Dunson, Jr. Credit: The Kinsey African American Art & History Collection
DATE: 15th January 2024
WHERE: Holocaust Museum Houston (5401 Caroline Street)
WHEN: 10 am to 5 pm
COST: Free
TICKETS: Visit hmh.org/tickets to reserve free tickets.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET THERE: Visitors can experience an art and history collection, and attend a free lecture.
The Kinsey African American Art & History Collection celebrates the achievements and contributions of Black Americans from 1595 to the present day. It features more than 100 artifacts collected by Shirley and Bernard Kinsey, those they collected on their countless travels and brought back home, during the five decades of their marriage. These pursuits inspired them to study and collect objects that delve into their own heritage and culture, and the contributions of African Americans to the building and shaping of the country.
The collection comprises paintings, sculptures, photographs, rare books, letters, manuscripts, and other objects portraying the African American experience and providing new perspectives on the nation’s history and culture.
At 2 p.m. in the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Theater, the Kinseys will share a lecture on how their exhibit dispels the Myth of Absence, a term used for the omittance of contributions of African Americans in industry, art, science, and politics from history books. To attend and read about this, you can RSVP at hmh.org/Myth.
3. Houston Elementary Students’ Reflection on MLK’s Legacy at Foley’s 28th Annual MLK Jr. Oratory Competition, hosted by Foley & Lardner and the Houston Independent School District
DATE: 12th January 2024
WHERE: Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Christ (500 Clay Street, Houston, TX 77002)
WHEN: 10 am to 12:30 pm
COST: Free
TICKETS: The event will be live-streamed here: https://www.houstonisd.org/LIVETV
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET THERE: The theme for this event honors the 60 years since the March on Washington. The participants — 12 HISD students from the 4th and 5th grades, will be answering the question: “How Would Dr. King Reflect on the 60 Years since his “I Have a Dream” Speech?” They will be delivering their speeches in three to five minutes, and competing for the winning title.
The organizers aim to encourage these young students to present their perception of the state of civil rights, equality, and social justice today, in celebration of Dr. King Jr.’s birthday. It also intends to highlight the cultural diversity of the community and hone the writing and public speaking skills of elementary school students.
The preliminary in-school selection rounds began in October and November, starting with 165 students. The semifinal round was held in December to select the top 12 participants for the final round.
The criteria for judging will include delivery, stage presence and decorum, content interpretation, and memorization. The event will be judged by a panel, including:
- Dean Leonard M. Baynes – Dean and Professor of Law, University of Houston Law School
- Hon. George C. Hanks, Jr. – U.S. District Court Judge
- Hon. Yvonne Ho – U.S. Magistrate, Southern District of Texas
- Hon. Latosha Lewis Payne – 55th Civil District Court Judge
- Mr. Rayford O. Irvin – Houston District Office Director, EEOC
- Ms. Yolanda Smith – Executive Director, Houston Chapter, NAACP
Last year’s winner’s speech:
4. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.’s Omicron Tau Omega Chapter, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.’s Sigma Theta Sigma Chapter, and Spring Independent School District’s community-driven event, “We Are One – MLK Day of Service: A BEAR Necessities Drive and Packing Party”
The event poster. Credit: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.’s Omicron Tau Omega Chapter, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.’s Sigma Theta Sigma Chapter, and Spring Independent School District
DATE: 13th January 2024
WHERE: School For International Studies at Bammel (16711 Ella Blvd, Spring, TX)
WHEN: 9 am to 12 pm
COST: Free
TICKETS: Open to the entire community and encourage participation from individuals and groups who want to contribute to the cause
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET THERE: This event will focus on packing toiletry bags containing essential items for children in Child Protective Services (CPS). The organizers aim to prepare 350 toiletry bags, with a “Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal” (a long-term, compelling goal) of 500 bags. They have requested items like soap and soap holders, deodorant, lotion, socks, hair care products for children of color, comb and brush sets, chapstick/lip gloss/body sprays, inspirational quotes/cards, and teddy bears, blankets or pajamas for tweens and teens.
The items collected on the day will go to Bear Resource Houston (https://bearesourcehouston.org/), a nonprofit organization supporting needy children.
