Programs, celebrations and Day of Service projects to take place Jan. 19 on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
On Monday, Jan. 19, the nation will honor civil rights leader and Nobel Prize recipient Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The day became a federal holiday on Nov. 2, 1983, when President Ronald Reagan signed the King Holiday Bill into law to designate the third Monday in January a federal holiday in observance of King’s birthday.
Eleven years later, in 1994, the King Holiday and Service Act was signed into law by President Bill Clinton. The act established the observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday as a National Day of Service, encouraging Americans from different races and backgrounds to volunteer to honor the life and legacy of King and improve their communities.
American Legion Family members regularly participate in Martin Luther King Day observances, and this year is no exception. Below are just a few examples of how the day will be honored by the Legion Family.
Legionnaires taking part in MLK Day and Day of Service events are encouraged to share their efforts at www.legiontown.org .
Georgia
· In Albany, Joseph Odom American Legion Post-Unit 512 is hosting an MLK Day celebration and remembrance program. The public is invited to attend the program, which will feature both breakfast and remarks from Senior Minister James E. Scurlark of the U.S. 19 Church of Christ.
· In Richmond Hills, J.E. Lanier Post 27 Commander Sally Rejas and Adjutant Kasandra Rios will lead Post 27’s participation in the Richmond Hill Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Walk & Celebration. The event will include live music, food trucks, family games and more.
Massachusetts
In Mattapan, William E. Carter Post 16 is hosting a Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast Celebration that will feature remarks from retired U.S. Coast Guard Master Chief Rashaun Morris, who spent more than 34 years in the military.
Missouri
In. St. Robert, American Legion Post 331 has been collecting canned goods for a local food pantry as a Day of Service project. The post is asking for all donations to be made by Jan. 19.
North Carolina
In Charlotte, American Legion Post 282 and American Legion Auxiliary Unit 282 are hosting a Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration open to the public that will include lunch, a speech competition, a poster-making contest, scavenger hunt and photo exhibit.
South Carolina
· In Columbia, Louis D. Simmons Post 215 will host an MLK Day evening program open to the public that will include reflection, community and celebration.
· In Clinton, Presbyterian College is hosting a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Convocation on Jan. 19 to honor the life, legacy and teachings of King through reflection, dialogue and community engagement. The keynote address will be delivered by Palmetto Boys State Executive Director James Bennett, a longtime entrepreneur who now focuses on leadership and service-oriented initiatives and has a long history of civic involvement. He has served as Palmetto Boys State executive director since 2024.
Texas
In San Antonio, the 39th annual Martin Luther King Jr. March will take place on Jan. 19. Known as the largest MLK march in the nation, this year’s event will feature three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas as its keynote speaker.
Prior to the march, veterans are invited to a coffee social at the Fred Brock Post 828 and then to watch the march from the post.
Virginia
· In Woodbridge, American Legion Auxiliary has been conducting a Day of Service project since early January by staging a food drive for Action in Community Through Service (ACTS) Food Pantry in Dumfries. Collection boxes have been out since Jan. 4 and will remain in place until Jan. 20.
· In Portsmouth, American Legion Post 37 is remembering Martin Luther King Jr. through a Day of Service project. The post is asking members of the community to join its effort to clean the Lest We Forget veterans monument at Olive Branch Cemetery.
- Honor & Remembrance