Guide to events in Rochester area celebrating legacy of MLK
MLK Day Community Celebration at Kodak Hall (WHEC file photo)
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day takes place on Monday, Jan. 20 and the Rochester area is holding events to honor to legacy of the civil rights icon. Here are some of the events happening before, during, and after the federal holiday:
Town of Brighton MLK Day celebration (Friday, Jan. 17)
The Town of Brighton is holding a celebration of MLK Day at Empire State University on Westfall Road. The celebration begins at noon.
This year’s honoree is Dr. Ruth Holland Scott who was elected as the first African-American woman to serve as a member of the Rochester City Council. Scott eventually became the City Council president. She and her husband live in Brighton.
Annual MLK Day Community Celebration at Kodak Hall (Monday, Jan. 20)
The Greater Rochester Martin Luther King Jr. Commission holding its 40th annual celebration with a worship service and music at Kodak Hall within the Eastman Theatre.
It takes place at 9 a.m. The theme will be “maintaining infinite hope” and it features a message from Pastor Sebrone Johnson. You can learn more about the celebration and the work on the commission here.
RIT keynote address (Wednesday, Jan. 29)
Rochester Institute of Technology’s Division of Diversity and Inclusion is holding its annual Expressions of King’s Legacy.
The free event at the Gordon Field House runs from noon to 2 p.m. It features a keynote speech and Q&A session from Deborah Archer, the eighth president of the American Civil Liberties Union. It also features a performance by Garth Fagan Dance. You can register here.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Address (Thursday, Jan. 30)
The University of Rochester’s Office of Minority Student Affairs is hosting a commemorative address to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The free event runs from 5 to 6:15 p.m. at the Strong Auditorium on the River Campus. Actor Giancarlo Esposito, who played businessman Gus Fring on the TV show “Breaking Bad”, will deliver the address. The address has been a tradition since 2001, highlighting diversity, freedom, civil rights, and social justice. You must register for the address here.