Iowa City Plans King Holiday Events Over Three Days

IOWA CITY, IA — Events and programs to honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will take place over three days in Iowa City. The celebration begins with two Family Day activities Jan. 12. All programs are free.

The activities are coordinated by the MLK Alliance Group, made up of local nonprofit groups, individuals and service organizations. Events are supported by the Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department, the Iowa City Human Rights Commission and the Iowa City Police Department, as well as many other local organizations.

Family Day, Jan. 12

• Family swim, 5 to 8 p.m. at the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center, 220 S. Gilbert St.
• Family roller skating, 6 to 7:45 p.m. at Grant Wood Elementary School gym, 1930 Lakeside Drive.

Youth Day of Celebration, Jan. 13 (grades 5-12)

• Change Makers Youth Day Celebration, noon to 4 p.m., Robert A. Lee Recreation Center. The event includes workshops, discussions and art activities to nurture, empower and inspire the next generation. Snacks are included.
• Basketball skills challenge, 4 to 6 p.m., Robert A. Lee Recreation Center. The winner will receive a $25 gift card.

Community Day of Service, Jan. 15

• Unity March, 9 to 10 a.m. starting at Faith Academy, 1030 Crosspark Ave., and ending at Grant Wood Elementary School.
• Volunteer Day at Grant Wood Elementary School (following the march) includes volunteer opportunities, entertainment, resource information, care package assembly and an "I Have a Dream" vision wall.
• Call to Action Community Town Hall Meeting and donation drive, noon to 1:30 p.m. at the school.

>>Des Moines-Area Closings: Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

King Holiday Legacy

While Jan. 15 is a day off work or school for many people, an increasing number of groups are using the federal holiday for acts of service and kindness to honor King's legacy. This year the holiday falls on what would have been King's 89th birthday. The Baptist minister and civil rights activist was Time's Man of the Year in 1963 and was the youngest person to be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize when he received the honor at age 35 in 1964. He was assassinated in 1968 while standing on the balcony of a Memphis, Tenn., hotel room.

President Ronald Reagan signed the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday into law in 1983, but it was not first observed until 1986. In 2017, an estimated 43 percent of employers surveyed reported their companies observed the holiday, up from approximately 37 percent in each of the previous two years, Bloomberg News reported.

For information on Iowa City events, contact Recreation Supervisor Raquishia Harrington at raquishia-harrington@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5100.

Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King, lead a black voting rights march from Selma, Ala., to the state capital in Montgomery in March 1965. (Photo by William Lovelace/Express/Getty Images)