Community Corner

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Events in Evanston

The national holiday honoring civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. takes place Monday, Jan. 21, 2013. Here's a roundup of local events honoring his life in Evanston.

Monday, Jan. 21, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

For some, the national holiday honoring the prominent civil rights activist is a time to give back and serve the community, be it through removing graffiti or picking up litter in a local park.

For others, it’s an opportunity to educate themselves about King and his life's work. And for others, it’s a time to just kick back and enjoy the prolonged weekend.

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Here's a roundup of local events on and around Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.

Brotherhood Chorale Concert
5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, Music Institute of Chicago, 1490 Chicago Ave. 
The 180-member all male chorus performs traditional and contemporary gospel and jazz in tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. Admission is free; a $10 suggested donation supports the William Warfield Memorial Scholarship Fund.

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Diverse Evanston Walks United Celebration
11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 21, Music Institute of Chicago, 1490 Chicago Ave.
Diverse Evanston Walks holds its seventh annual MLK day event. This year's theme is "remembering, honoring, and responding to the youth tragically lost to gun violence in Evanston over the last year." The event will include musical and dramatic performances by local teens as well as an address from Thomas Vanden Berk, CEO of UCAN (a child welfare agency in Chicago) and father of a 15-year-old boy who died in gun violence. 

Day of Celebration Honoring Dr. King
12 p.m. Monday, Jan. 21., Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, 1655 Foster St.
Speakers at the city's annual celebration include Ald. Delores Holmes, Rev. Kenneth Cherry and former Evanston Mayor Lorraine Morton. There will also be performances by The Evanston Children’s Choir, Ajoite Drum & Percussion and the Glass Family Drummers, Christ Temple Praise Dancers and blues guitarist David Dupont.

Staged Reading of David Mamet's Race
2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 21, Josephine Louis Theater, 20 Arts Circle Dr.
Northwestern University holds this staged reading of David Mamet's drama, which tells the story of a white and black lawyer who are both defending a wealthy white client accused of raping a black woman. The event is free to the public, but advance reservations are recommended.

Martin Luther King Celebration7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22., Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, 1655 Foster St.
The Evanston Art Center, Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre and Insight Arts screen King's 1968 "Mountaintop Speech," an interview with James Baldwin and works by two contemporary artists, followed by discussion.

Harry Belafonte Speaks at Northwestern
6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 28, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Dr
The actor, singer and humanitarian is keynote speaker for Northwestern University's Martin Luther King, Jr., celebration. Belafonte met King in New York City in the 1950s, and the two became lifelong friends. 


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