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, celebrate his leadership during the Civil Rights Movement, as well as honor his altruistic spirit through community service. Dr. King's dream of a better world starts with all of us.
As a community of learners and advocates for justice and equality, Stetson University College of Law is honored to provide students, faculty, and staff with a resource to learn about Dr. King and the community that marched alongside him. In addition to joining this national celebration, Stetson Law invites you to explore this community resource page.
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. delivers his famous last speech, "I've Been to the Mountaintop" on April 3, 1968. He encourages the Civil Rights Movement to push forward in the event of his passing (The Smithsonian, 2014) (Duration 2:15).
Events | Learn | Engage | Resources
Events
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade
The Advantage Village Academy │Sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg
January 16 │ 11 am-2 pm │ East to West on 1st Ave S St. Petersburg, FL
Stetson University College of Law invites students, faculty, and staff to participate in the local Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 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.
MLK Day Weekend Activities
The Advantage Village Academy │Sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg
January 14-16 │ Times Vary │ Saint Petersburg, FL
During MLK Day weekend, the Advantage Village Academy is hosting three free events: Family Fun Day, Band Showcase, and a Community Gospel Concert.
We Belong
National Day of Racial Healing
The St.Petersburg/Pinellas Higher Education for Racial Equity Consortium (SPHERE) and The Well
January 17 │ 4 p.m.-6 p.m. │ USF St. Petersburg Campus Ballroom (140 7th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701)
The St. Petersburg/Pinellas Higher Education for Racial Equity Consortium (SPHERE) and the Well are hosting an immersive healing experience featuring dynamic panelists, engaging dialogues, creative expressions, and a call to action.
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
The 1968 Poor People Campaign
The National Museum of African American History and Culture│The Smithsonian
Dr. King planned to gather people from around the nation who came from different races and ethnic backgrounds to highlight the multiethnic effects of poverty.
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)
How the Civil Rights Movement Launched the Fight for LGBTQ+ Rights
The Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg
Learn how the strategies of the African-American Civil Rights Movement influenced future movements
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.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
Library of Congress
Dive into the events that shaped the civil rights movement, as well as the impact the act had on society
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 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 Digital Archive
The Smithsonian
A digital archive of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and related items of the Civil Rights Movement
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