Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Day
Each third Monday in January, the nation celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It is a time to commemorate the legacy of Dr. King, honor his altruistic spirit through community service, and celebrate the community members who shaped the Civil Rights Movement alongside him. Dr. King's dream of a better world starts with all of us. In addition to joining the national celebration, Stetson Law invites you to explore this community resource page to learn more about Dr. King's legacy and the various community members who share his dream.
While this page is the result of a collaborative effort, it is not a comprehensive resource. We encourage students, faculty, and staff to explore other resources and to feel free to share those that may add to the richness of this page. Please email any insights to [email protected].
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous final speech, "I've Been to the Mountaintop" on April 3, 1968. He encouraged community members to continue the work in the event of his passing (The Smithsonian, 2014) (Duration 2:15) His last words speak to all of us to keep moving forward in building a world that is just and equitable.
Events | Learn | Engage | Resources
Events
MLK Day Activities
The Advantage Village Academy│Sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg
January 11-15, 2024│Times Vary │Saint Petersburg, FL
The Advantage Village Academy is hosting free family events in celebration of MLK Day
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Candlelight Prayer Vigil
The Woodson African American Museum of Florida
January 14, 2024│6 PM │2240 9th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33712 (The Woodson African American Museum of Florida)
Join the Woodson in a candlelight prayer vigil service to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade-Join Stetson Law!
The Advantage Village Academy │Sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg
January 15, 2024│11 AM-2 PM │East to West on 1st Ave S St. Petersburg, FL
Stetson University College of Law community members and their families to participate in the local MLK Day Parade. Join us in solidarity with Dr. King's vision and honor his life as well as the community of dreamers who stood alongside him through your participation. No tickets are necessary.
National Day of Racial Healing: The HeART of Racial Equity
The Well and the St.Petersburg Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Center
January 16, 2024│5 PM-7 PM │The Great Hall
The Well and the St. Petersburg Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Center are hosting an immersive healing experience featuring dynamic panelists, engaging dialogues, creative expressions, and a call to action on the Day of Racial Healing.
Virtual Events
Be Love Training: Shifting the Climate through a Love-Centered Strategy
The King Center
January 8-9, 2024│11 AM-2 PM │Virtual
A free two-part virtual training focused on a strategic approach to challenging injustice, navigating conflict, & creating compassionate cultures.
Learn
The 15-Year Battle for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
The National Museum of African American History and Culture│The Smithsonian
Learn about the tenacious efforts that led to the passage of MLK Day
Dr. King's work in the Civil Rights Movement inspired protests and sit-ins across the nation, including in St. Augustine, Florida (National Park Service, 2021) (Duration 4:39)
Terminology
Glossary of Nonviolence
The King Center
Terms that reflect Dr. King's fundamental principles of nonviolence
Civil Rights Movement Foot Soldiers
1863 to 1963: From Emancipation Proclamation to the March on Washington
National Museum of American History │The Smithsonian
Explore the links between the Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington despite their one-hundred-year separation.
Women in the Civil Rights Movement
The Library of Congress
Women in the Civil Rights Movement led organizations and served as lawyers in school segregation lawsuits. The Law of Congress gathered excerpts and conducted interviews with women who were integral to the Civil Rights Movement.
Follow in the Footsteps of the Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Travel Course is an education initiative that invites students on an immersive journey through the Civil Rights Movement Trail and asks them to reflect on how the narratives and strategic advocacy of the Civil Rights Movement can inform and enact change in society today.
Eye-Opening Civil Rights Travel Experience Returns to Stetson Law
Stetson University College of Law
This article highlights the 2022 Civil Rights Travel Course with student testimonials and quotes from guest-speakers
Stetson University College of Law: Civil Rights Travel Course 2022
The Civil Rights Travel Course offers students an opportunity to visit landmark destinations that changed the course of the United States (Stetson University College of Law, 2022) (Duration 11:22)
The Social Justice Advocacy Concentration
Stetson University College of Law
The lawyers and legal scholars during Civil Rights Movement paved the way for social justice advocacy through the legal system. Learn more about the social justice advocacy concentration and the courses offered at Stetson University College of Law.
Engage
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park
Take a virtual tour of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. The tour includes Ebenezer Baptist Church, The King Center, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birth home (The King Center, 2020) (Duration 14:04).
Fannie Lou Hamer Risked Her Life for the Right to Vote
Fannie Lou Hamer was a voting rights activist and despite facing violent intimidation she persisted in advocating for voting rights protections for African Americans Hammer (Smithsonian Museum, 2020) (Duration 4:33)
Bayard Rustin: The Civil Rights Leader
Learn more about Dr. King's advisor, Bayard Rustin who organized the March on Washington (National Public Radio, 2019) (Duration 9:01)
Resources
Local Resource: The Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum in St. Petersburg, FL - Visit Us
The King Center in Atlanta, GA - Learn more about Dr. Martin Luther King's achievements