BLOOMINGTON – The resident-led Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Commission will host its Annual Commemoration on Monday, January 19 at 6 p.m. at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 East Kirkwood Avenue, in Bloomington. The event is free to attend and open to the public.
This year’s program will focus on the contributions of women in the civil rights movement, with the theme Soul, Spirit & Sacrifice: Honoring the Legacy of Coretta Scott King and the Women Who Faced America to Save U.S. The evening will feature keynote speaker Dr. Traci Parker.
Dr. Traci Parker is a historian, speaker, author, and Associate Professor of History at the University of California, Davis. Dr. Parker’s work focuses on African American history, the civil rights movement, and the ways everyday life and consumer culture intersect with public life. She is the co-editor of The New Civil Rights Movement Reader (University of Massachusetts Press, 2023) and is currently editing a volume on the history of marriage in modern America. Dr. Parker is also completing a comprehensive biography of Coretta Scott King, based on rare archival materials.
The program will also include musical performances by the Indiana University African American Choral Ensemble, directed by Dr. Raymond Wise, and by Marietta Simpson, an internationally renowned opera singer.
During the event, the 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award will be presented. The award recognizes individuals, businesses, or organizations whose work reflects the values exemplified by Dr. King.
In conjunction with the annual celebration, the community is invited to participate in Martin Luther King Jr. 40 Days of Peace volunteer opportunities. A full list of opportunities is available at bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/mlk or contact Aubrey Seader, Bloomington Volunteer Network Coordinator, at 812-349-3433 or getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.
The Commission’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration is a production of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Commission. Learn more about the commission at bloomington.in.gov/mlk.
