No Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration in Fargo after city cuts funding for event, Juneteenth
FARGO — For the first time in years, Fargo will not hold
a celebration to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The Fargo City Commission decided in September to cut funding for the annual event that was hosted by the Fargo Human Rights Commission and nonprofit Fred’s Dissonance. That means the city will not host the celebration on Monday, Jan. 19, a first in more than two decades.
“There are no alternative plans for the celebration,”
Human Rights Commission Chair Sekou Sirleaf
told The Forum on Wednesday.
King’s birthday is Jan. 15, and the U.S. observes a federal holiday on the third Monday of January to recognize the Black activist who fought for civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s before his assassination.
The Fargo event that dates back to at least 2002 featured singers, dancers, poets and other artists. Organizers of the celebration also handed out three awards: one each to a business, adult and young person who promoted human rights in the area.
Those awards encouraged businesses and Fargo residents to make the city a better place, Sirleaf said. It’s important to recognize people who fought for civil rights in the U.S. because they impact everyone, not just people of color, he said.
Last year, locals packed the Fargo Theater for the celebration. The City Commission budgeted $17,886 for last year’s MLK Day event.
The Fargo Davies Vivace choir performs during the Umoja 56 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration hosted by Fred’s Dissonance and sponsored by the city of Fargo, on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at the Fargo Theater.
Alyssa Goelzer / Forum file photo
Along with funding for this year’s celebration, the City Commission also cut $12,500 in funds for Juneteenth, a celebration that recognized the end of slavery in the U.S.
The Forum requested an interview with city officials for this story, but it issued a statement that said the cuts were part of a “broader budget realignment” that focused on “prioritizing core services and reevaluating how our limited social services and arts funding is allocated.”
“While the city is no longer sponsoring Juneteenth or MLK events, the city continues to recognize the significance of both observances,” Assistant City Administrator Brenda Derrig said in the statement. “On MLK Day and Juneteenth, community members are encouraged to take time to honor these observances, whether that is through service, learning or engagement within the community.”
Sirleaf called the pullback in funding “shameful” and a step backward for the city. It comes a year after the City Commission voted to defund its
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Department.
The city also will
disband the Human Rights, Native American, and Arts and Culture commissions
in two months, unless the boards form an action plan to restructure.
“We should be going forward,” Sirleaf said. “We shouldn’t be going backward.”
Sirleaf said he is reaching out to local organizations in an attempt to put together the MLK and Juneteenth celebrations in Fargo.
“We just can’t sit back,” he said. “Those are two important dates that the community always looks forward to.”
The cities of Moorhead and West Fargo don’t host MLK events.
Concordia College in Moorhead
will host a celebration from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday at the Knutson Campus, with several breakout sessions at various locations on campus, according to its website.
Those with ideas about the MLK celebration can contact the Human Rights Commission. Information about the commission can be found at
shorturl.at/sdL5p.
April Baumgarten is the Fargo city government reporter. The North Dakota native started her journalism career in 2011 and joined The Forum in February 2019. Readers can reach her at 701-241-5417 or [email protected].
