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NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Planning Commission today reminded residents of the series of events scheduled to honor civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Chair Mayor LaToya Cantrell and Co-Chairs Julius Feltus and Dr. Levon LeBan welcome guests to attend these events, which are free and open to the public.
"It is important that we never forget where we came from,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “We must continue to recognize those who have gone before us to make our journeys a bit easier, while still recognizing there is more progress to be made. Who we are celebrating is someone who has already done their job by making the ultimate sacrifices for us to be here. But now, it is up to us to make those sacrifices with boldness, with courage, and unapologetically bringing others along. Thank you to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Planning Commission, Southern Christian Leadership Conference and all partners who played an instrumental role in coordinating this year’s events, while continuing to lead the fight for equality across our city and beyond. As we commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., let’s continue to honor courage, history and a movement towards equity for all people.”
The series of events kicked off on Friday, Jan. 5 with the unveiling of a historic marker dedicated to Mrs. Coretta Scott King as part of Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s (SCLC) Educational Series. The marker is now displayed on the neutral ground at the intersection of S. Claiborne Avenue and Jackson Avenue, honoring Mrs. King’s contribution to the Civil Rights Movement as well as the instrumental role she played in getting Congress and then President Reagan to officially declare Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a National Holiday.
The series of educational and commemorative events continues with:
- MLK Jr. Memorial Service
- Sunday, Jan. 14 at 10 a.m.
- City Church of New Orleans, 13123 I-10 East Service Road
- Hosted by Bishop Dr. Owen McManus, Jr.
- Annual R.E.A.L. MLK Jr. March
- Monday, Jan. 15 at 10 a.m.
- The march will start at A.L. Davis Park, LaSalle Street and Third Street
- MLK Jr. Choral Concert
- Thursday, Apr. 4 at 6 p.m.
- NOLA Jazz Market, 1436 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.
Other ongoing events and activities include:
- National Conference of Artists – An Experiment in Love
- Saturday, Jan. 13 – Thursday, Feb. 29
- Ashé Gallery, 1712 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. and Stella Jones Gallery, 201 St. Charles Ave.
- For more information, please visit nolamlkexhibit.org.
- SCLC/American Red Cross, Louisiana Region—Smoke Detectors Installed in area homes
- NAACP/Second Harvest Food Bank collection of non-perishable food items
- Collections happening now through Jan. 15
For more information, contact Sheryln L. Harris, Secretary of the City of New Orleans Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Planning Commission, at (504) 658-4212.
As a reminder, City Hall will be closed Monday, Jan. 15, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Normal hours will resume Tuesday, Jan. 16.
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