Today, we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King’s 90th birthday. Since his rise to the public eye by leading the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955 to his eventual assassination in Memphis in the spring of 1968, Dr. King has become an enduring icon in the civil rights struggle. He is respected + beloved for his principles of nonviolence, civil disobedience, activism + integrity.

Today we honor his legacy with the Martin Luther King Day of Service.Here’s what you need to know about the day:

In 1979, Coretta King (widow of MLK) led the charge in honoring her husband’s memory by petitioning for a national holiday to be created in his name. She testified before a joint hearing of Congress and organized a nationwide lobby to support the King-holiday bill, but the bill was defeated in the House by just five votes.

🎶 Following Coretta’s persistence to approve the national holiday, in 1980 prominent proponent Stevie Wonder released the song “Happy Birthday” – which became a rallying cry.

📅 The national holiday was officially created when the bill passed in 1983 – 15 years after his assassination. This year marks the 51st anniversary of King’s assassination.

📜 It was first observed in 1986. This makes this the 33rd year of celebrating the holiday.

🕯️ The first celebrations, held across the country on Jan. 20, 1986, consisted of marches, candlelight vigils, concerts, readings, church services, + teach-ins.

🎂 It’s always on the third Monday of January, in celebration of MLK Jr.’s birthday, Jan. 15.

👐 Since 1994, MLK Day has been observed as a national day of service – spent volunteering, giving back + donating to the community, with the National + Community Service in charge of leading efforts. It was conceived as not a day off, but a day on, in which members of the community come out to work together + empower each other.

Want to celebrate here in Asheville? Keep reading for a list of events + service opportunities going on.

Day on, not day off

According to the CNCS, “MLK Day of Service is intended to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, create solutions to social problems, and move us closer to Dr. King's vision of a ‘Beloved Community.’”

DYK: The term “Beloved Community” was adopted by Dr. King to describe his vision of a society in which everyone shares equally in wealth and abides by his principles of nonviolent social change.

The Six Steps of Nonviolent Change are gathering, education, personal commitment, discussion + negotiation, direct action, and reconciliation. Read more about them on the King Center’s website.

How to commemorate Dr. King’s Day of Service

MLK Day of Service 2019 Cleanup | Jan. 21 | 10 a.m.-noon | St. James A.M.E. Church, 44 Hildebrand St. | Register here | Get out early for a roadside cleanup before the Peace March co-sponsored by Asheville Greenworks. Gloves, vests + bags will be provided.

38th Annual Prayer Breakfast | Jan. 19th | 8:30 a.m. | Crowne Plaza Resort, 1 Resort Dr. | Register | The morning of prayer will include a keynote address by Ernest G. Greene of the historic Little Rock Nine. Note: this event is sold out, but there will be door tickets available per the committee.

Burton St. Community Day of Service | noon-4 p.m. | Burton St. Community Peace Gardens, 47 Bryant St. | Free | Kick off the afternoon with a pot of stew + get your hands dirty with a variety of garden projects.

MLK Recitation Competition | Jan. 21 | 7-9 p.m. | YMI Cultural Center, 39 S. Market St. | Free | Middle + high school students will compete to perform the most accurate + engaging reenactment of Dr. King’s speeches. Over $500 in prizes + scholarships will be awarded.

Hands-On Asheville Day of Service | Jan. 21 | times + locations vary | Hands-On Asheville has coordinated a variety of projects throughout the day for organizations including the YMI, Brother Wolf, the YMCA, and several public schools. See the full list here.

We Shall Overcome: A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. | Jan. 22 | 8 p.m. | Diana Wortham Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave. | $20+ | A multimedia showcase of African American music traditions.

Find more events + ways to get involved form the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County here.

Giving volunteering the ol’ college try

How will Asheville’s local college students be spending their day? Working in the community, of course. UNC Asheville students will be volunteering at Brother Wolf, the Christine W. Avery Learning Center, our public middle schools (think Owen, Enka + Asheville), the Burton Street Community Garden, the YMI, the Mission Rathburn House, CarePartners + more. After their volunteer shifts, students will eat lunch together and spend some quiet time reflecting before they head over the Peace March + rally. Ⓟ

Students at Carolina Day School will commemorate the day as a school on the Friday before MLK Day (Jan. 18) through activities + events like an “I Have A Dream” Peace Poetry Palooza, presentations + more. They’ll also participate in weekend events organized by the MLK Association of Asheville & Buncombe County, including the Peace Breakfast + Rally. Ⓟ

What’s on your agenda for your MLK Day? Let us know by replying to this email or telling us on Instagram + Facebook.

– Stephanie