Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Each third Monday in January, the nation celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This day marks a time to commemorate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., celebrate his leadership during the Civil Rights Movement, as well as honor Dr. King's altruistic spirit through community service. Dr. Martin Luther King's dream of a beloved community starts with all of us.
As a diverse academic community, Stetson University is honored to provide students, faculty, and staff with a resource to honor our differences. In addition to joining this national celebration, Stetson University invites you to explore this resource page to learn more about the life and legacy of Dr. King and the community that marched alongside him.
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
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Week of Action
Stetson University honors the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a commemorative week of action that centers on his tenets of altruism and provides a space to further dialogue across differences
Events
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Life and Legacy Celebration
Finding Joy: Building the Beloved Community
Stetson University
January 19│ 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.│ Stetson Room (Room 230)
Join us for a Stetson University celebration commemorating the life of civil rights icon, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The luncheon will feature a keynote speaker, panel discussion, a spoken word poem, and opportunities to reconnect and reflect on how to make Stetson University a more inclusive space for all
Volunteer Opportunities
Stetson University│ GivePulse
MLK Day is a call to action to serve our community through volunteerism
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 us to celebrate MLK Day today
The 1968 Poor People Campaign
The National Museum of African American History and Culture│The Smithsonian
Before Dr. King's death in 1968 he planned to gather people from around the nation and 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)
Terminology
Glossary of Nonviolence
The King Center
A glossary of terms that reflect Dr. Martin Luther 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
One hundred years separate the Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington. Yet, these two events are profoundly linked together in a larger story of liberty and the American experience.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
Library of Congress
Explore this exhibition which details 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.
Walk 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 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.
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) (Duration 11:21)
Engage
Dr. Martin Luther King Digital Archive
The Smithsonian
A digital archive of Dr. Martin Luther King 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 (The Smithsonian Museum, 2020) (4:33)
Bayard Rustin: The Gay Civil Rights Leader who Advised Dr. King
Learn more about Dr. King's advisor, Bayard Rustin who organized the March on Washington (National Public Radio, 2019) (Duration 9:01)
Resources
The King Center in Atlanta, GA - Learn more about Dr. Martin Luther King's achievements
The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN - Civil Rights Museum