Monday, January 20 is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. So, we thought we’d share the history of his presence in Columbia + what you can do around town to honor his life and legacy.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Columbia connections

On September 28, 1959, Dr. King, among other local leaders, attended an honorary banquet at the Township Auditorium. He continued his stay in Columbia and while in town delivered an address at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference at the Township.
On April 3, 1968, Dr. King was scheduled to appear at a rally at Zion Baptist Church on Washington Street in Columbia. While he wasn’t expected to make a formal address, he was expected to speak. This appearance was canceled and he stayed in Memphis, Tennessee for further work there. On April 4, King was tragically assassinated at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis at the age of 39.

You and your family can honor the life + legacy of Dr. King by attending several local events around town.

3 local MLK events

Joseph F. Rice School of Law is hosting the Celebration of the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Thursday, Jan. 16, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and will be followed by a community reception. This year's theme is: “Why We Can’t Wait: Liberty, Equality, and the Fight for Justice."

Join the City of Columbia at 4 p.m. on MLK Day at MLK Park for the 37th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration.

The Columbia Museum of Art is offering free admission on Monday, Jan. 20 tThe Friends of African American Art and Culture will host a Storytelling Celebration, featuring line dancing on Boyd Plaza from 1-3 p.m. Then enjoy a selection of stories from storytellers from 1:30-2:30 p.m.