Listen to community leader Gladys Muhammad share details of the annual day of celebration for Martin Luther King Jr. in South Bend.
Listen to community leader Gladys Muhammad share details of the annual day of celebration for Martin Luther King Jr. in South Bend.
- Local leaders are hosting a variety of events to celebrate the 40th Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
- The theme, “From the Mountain Top to the Movement,” emphasizes continuing the work of past civil rights leaders.
- Events include a community breakfast, a memorial march, workshops and youth programs, mostly held at Century Center.
- The celebration is a partnership among the MLK Foundation of St. Joseph County and numerous other local organizations.
SOUTH BEND — To celebrate the 40th Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 19, local leaders are hosting a variety of events to honor King’s life and recognize community members who are carrying on his work in South Bend and beyond.
Organizer Gladys Muhammad said the celebration is a partnership among the MLK Foundation of St. Joseph County, Project Impact, South Bend Heritage and the Civil Rights Heritage Center at Indiana University South Bend, along with 40 other community organizations and individuals. It’s been held annually since 1986, she said, and each year’s event has a unique theme.
This year, the event is called “From the Mountain Top to the Movement: Carrying the Vision Forward,” and, Muhammad said, the theme conveys the ideas of responsibility and continuing the work of those who came before.
“A movement is built not on one voice but many; not on one moment but on countless acts of courage; not on one leader, but a community willing to rise to work and to believe,” she said. “Movements are from ordinary people who live in a community that know that they could probably do extraordinary things. … It’s our commitment with our theme to continue the progress, to continue to carry it, to embody it and to pass it on.”
Schedule of events
The celebration offers events and activities for all ages throughout the day on Jan. 19, most taking place at Century Center, 120 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. All events are open to the public, and, except for the breakfast and some performances, all are free.
7:30-9:15 a.m. — Community Service Recognition Breakfast
The event’s annual breakfast includes an invocation from University of Notre Dame President the Rev. Robert Dowd, musical performances, a special recognition by South Bend Mayor James Mueller and a keynote address from Timothy Lake, associate professor at Wabash College and senior pastor at Union Baptist Church Fort Wayne.
The breakfast also includes this year’s Drum Major and Roland Kelly community service awards, which, Muhammad said, recognize community members who are dedicated to “justice, fairness and improving the lives of all people.”
Tickets to the breakfast are $25 or $200 for a table of eight. They may be purchased by next Monday, Jan. 12, by emailing Jessica Kitchens at [email protected]; tickets will not be sold at the door.
9 a.m.-4 p.m. — Exhibits and vendors
Attendees can visit more than 20 different exhibits and vendors in Century Center’s Discovery Hall throughout the day.
9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. — Workshops and programs
- 9:30-11 a.m., Recital Hall: “The Voting Rights Act of 1964,” organized by Charlotte Pfeifer
- 9:30-11 a.m., Century Center suite 12: “Financial Empowerment,” organized by the South Bend Financial Empowerment Center
- 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Century Center Convention Hall: Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation blood drive
- 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Recital Hall: “Breaking the Silence: Empowering Strategies for Mental Health Emergencies,” presented by Valerie Golden, owner of Hazel’s Heart Professional Counseling and Services
- 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Century Center suite 11: “Blackeonomics/Numberonomics: The Power of Unity,” organized by Hardie Blake of Project Impact
- 12:15-1:30 p.m., Recital Hall: “A Community Response to the Mental Health Crisis,” sponsored by Imani Unidad
- 1-3 p.m., Century Center suite 11: “Empowering Margins,” organized by Ruby Brower of A B Life and Enterprise
- 1-4 p.m, Century Center suite 12: “Building the Dream: Introducing High School Students to the Skilled Trades,” organized by King Dancler III of the Delta Pi Omega Chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.
- 1-4 p.m., Century Center suite two: “Ask a Lawyer,” featuring lawyers from the Volunteer Lawyer Network. Members of the public can receive free legal advice on a first-come, first-served basis.
- 1:30-3 p.m., Century Center suites eight-12: “Children’s Room for All Ages,” supervised activities from the St. Joseph County Public Library
- 1:30-3 p.m., Recital Hall: “State of Our Black Youth,” organized by the South Bend Chapter Indiana Black Expo Inc. and Gentlemen and Scholars Inc.
- 3-5 p.m., Recital Hall, “Bridging Communities: Engagement Strategies,” organized by the National Pan-Hellenic Council-South Bend
11:30 a.m.-noon — Traditional Memorial March
Muhammad said the event’s annual memorial march will begin at the County-City Building, 227 W. Jefferson Blvd., and end at Century Center, stopping on the way at the statue of King and former Notre Dame President the Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh.
The march will end with a program that starts at 12:30 p.m. at the Bendix Theater at Century Center, recognizing recipients of community service awards and the Rosa Parks Award, along with remarks by Mueller and other local leaders.
3-5 p.m. — 2026 MLK Youth Cultural Program and Service Awards
This year’s awardees will be recognized at a ceremony at the Bendix Theater at Century Center, featuring performances by local drill, music, marching band, step and dance groups.
Other events
The celebration also includes events and performances throughout the rest of the month, including:
- “MLK Sunday Worship Service” — Jan. 18, 5:45 p.m., Greater St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 101 N. Adams St.
- “Navigating and Networking Through Our Recent Economic Crisis” — Jan. 22, 6 p.m., Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Center, 1522 W. Linden St.
- South Bend Symphony Orchestra presents “Celebration for a King” — Jan. 15 at 7 p.m., Greater St. John Missionary Baptist Church. Admission is free.
- “An Evening with Author Brendan Slocumb” — Jan. 21, 6-8 p.m., St. Joseph County Public Library, Leighton Auditorium, 306 S. Michigan St.
- “Welcome to Equity in the Arts,” presented by South Bend Venues Parks and Arts — Events celebrating the opening of the Raclin Murphy Encore Center on Jan. 22-24 and Feb. 6.
- UZIMA! Drum and Dance presents “ASHE: Prepare Ye the Way” — Jan. 24, 7 p.m., DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, 100 Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $21 for adults and $7 for students and youth.
- “BE-SPOKEN with Emorja Roberson” — Jan. 31, 7 p.m., DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $21 for adults and $15 for students and youth.
Email South Bend Tribune staff reporter Rayleigh Deaton at [email protected].
