The nation marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 20, but events across Connecticut will honor the civil rights leader throughout the month of January.
Simsbury recognizes King's summers in their town through the Martin Luther King Jr. in Connecticut memorial outside Simsbury Free Library, 749 Hopmeadow St. King worked in the tobacco fields in Simsbury during the summers of 1944 and 1947, while a student at Morehouse College.
In letters to his mother, King said his experience in Simsbury was influential to his beginnings as a religious leader. His time in Connecticut also introduced him to desegregation.
Simsbury High School students helped lead the effort to create the memorial, which opened in 2021.
Jan. 15, New Haven
The MLK Love March in New Haven, hosted by Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, started in 1971. It's set to step off from the church at 100 Lawrence St. on Jan. 15 at 10:30 a.m. The march is held rain or shine.
Jan. 20, New Haven
The Yale Peabody Museum will host its 29th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy of Social and Environmental Justice with a day of free events, including poetry, music, crafts for children and food trucks.
Jan. 20, Stamford
Ferguson Library and the Stamford MLK Committee present several chances to learn more about and discuss King's life and legacy. Two installments of PBS' "Eyes on the Prize" will be shown at the library's main branch of the library on Jan. 20 with "Bridge to Freedom (1965)" scheduled for 1 p.m. and "Two Societies (1965-68)" at 2 p.m.
Jan. 20, Branford
Jeffrey C. Stewart, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at Branford's MLK Breakfast at Branford High School starting at 8:30 a.m. Tickets are $20 — $5 for students — and include a full breakfast catered by Branford High School culinary arts students and music by BHS students.
Stewart is a professor of Black Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 2019 and National Book Award in 2018 for his book "The New Negro: The Life of Alain Locke."
Jan. 20, New Canaan
The Interfaith Council of New Canaan is scheduled to hold its 23rd annual service starting at 10 a.m. The service will feature music and speakers from New Canaan and surrounding towns, including the Pivot Men’s Choir.
Jan. 20, Ridgefield
The Town of Ridgefield's 29th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration is scheduled for the Ridgefield Playhouse at 3 p.m. The free event features performances and an award presentation.
Jan. 20, West Hartford
The Town of West Hartford has hosted a celebration of the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. since 1997. This year's theme is honoring the quote:
“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
John Mills, president and founder of the Alex Breanne Corporation, will be the keynote speaker. Mills' organization researches and presents the life experience of the American enslaved, presented from an African American perspective.
The annual event starts at 10:30 a.m. in the West Hartford Town Hall auditorium, 50 South Main St.
Other events
Jan. 4, Hartford
The 40th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Breakfast at the Connecticut Convention Center was held Jan. 4. Proceeds from the event benefit the Hartford Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.'s college scholarship for a Black female and high school senior in the Greater Hartford area.
