Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Metro Detroit

King, who was assassinated on April 4, 1968, at the young age of 39, would have turned 96 on January 15th, 2025.

Each year on MLK Day, there are events held throughout metro Detroit cities and museums. Below you’ll find some of the events in the area.

Detroit

The 22nd Annual Detroit MLK Day rally commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. here in downtown Detroit. The event is Monday, January 20th 2025 at noon and begins at St. Matthew's & St. Joseph's Episcopal Church, 8850 Woodward.

Detroit Historical Museum

Join the Detroit Historical Museum in celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This year's program is "Remembering the Life of Freedom Rider Viola Liuzzo," which will include a few panel discussions. There will be storytelling sessions with arts and crafts activities. Explore the museum through a history hunt to learn more about the events that Dr. King experienced from 1955 through 1968. End the day of learning and celebrating and join us in song. Participation is free with registration.

Southfield

The city of Southfield and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Task Force will host the 40th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Peace Walk Celebration on Monday, January 20th beginning at 9 a.m. at Hope United Methodist Church, 26275 Northwestern Highway. This year’s theme will be “Peace and Justice for the Next Generation.”

The peace walk will depart from Hope United Methodist Church at 9:00 a.m., followed by an 11 a.m. program at the Southfield Pavilion, located at 26000 Evergreen Road. The Keynote speaker of the event will be Fumi Johns Stewart, Executive Director of May Peace Prevail On Earth International. A free International Taste Fest will be held immediately following the program in the Southfield Pavilion.

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

Don't miss this incredible annual event, commemorating the life of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. hosted by the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and presented in partnership with Citizens Bank and Target.

This annual event brings the community together to honor the legacy of Dr. King and promote dialogue, education, and action toward equality and social justice. The event comprises a variety of experiences and programming. This year, the event is featuring a keynote address from LaTosha Brown, co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund, and a full day of activities.

The Henry Ford

The museum has an entire exhibit dedicated to civil rights called “With Liberty and Justice for All.” Some of the highlights in the exhibition include the Rosa Parks Bus, and several items related to Martin Luther King, Jr. Those include a memorial button, posters, a record album, pins, and more.

Celebrate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from Jan. 18-20, events include a full lineup of onsite programming, musical performances, guided tours, and more. Admission and parking to the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation are also free on Monday, January 20 in recognition of the celebrated day of service.

Let Freedom Ring - MLK Birthday Celebration

Rainbow PUSH will host "Let Freedom Ring," a free public event on Monday, January 20, 2025, at 4 p.m. at the historic Fox Theatre. The event will honor several luminaries whose deeds have exemplified the life of Dr. King.

The six Let Freedom Ring honorees will receive recognition in one of four categories: the Humanitarian Award will be presented to Detroit Tiger legend Willie Horton and (posthumously) Esther Gordy Edwards of the Motown Historical Museum; the Social Justice Award to Minister Malik Shabazz and (posthumously) Viola Liuzzo for paying the ultimate sacrifice during the Civil Rights Movement; the Social Service Award to Eva Garza Dawaelsche of SER Metro Detroit; and the Keep Hope Alive Award to Pastor Solomon Kinloch Jr. The Martin Luther King High School Dance Workshop will also perform routines that speak through the language of artistic movement and grace.

Clinton-Macomb Public Library

Children ages 5 to 12 are invited to this local library on Monday, January 20th from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. for a story and craft to celebrate the life and contributions of Martin Luther King Jr.

Watch Dr. King’s speech in Detroit

On June 23, 1963, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was in Detroit for “The Walk to Freedom” where he led more than 100,000 people down Woodward Ave. to the then Cobo Arena.

During a speech at the arena, King gave a speech that featured some portions of his “I Have a Dream” speech that would be given just over two months later during the March on Washington.

Some of the speech was recorded on a record, and you can hear the speech on YouTube.