Martin Luther King Day will be observed this Monday, January 15th, 2024.
Here are a few ways you and your kids can observe the holiday together around Milwaukee.
Dr Martin Luther King Birthday Celebration
This annual birthday celebration has been a Milwaukee tradition for more than 30 years. Since 1984, Milwaukee has stood alongside Atlanta as one of the only cities in the country to host an annual celebration in honor of Dr. King’s birthday.
The free event will be held in person at the Marcus Performing Arts Center.
The Marcus Center is located at 929 N. Water Street, Milwaukee, WI, 53202. Parking for the event will be free and is available in the attached parking structure on State Street.
Kids’ Art Day: Creative Collages at the Grohmann Museum
Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a free, family-friendly art event at the Grohmann Museum on Monday, January 20, from 10 AM to 2 PM. Kids in grades K-12 can create collages inspired by Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas, enjoy coloring activities, and take part in a collaborative writing project in the museum’s stART Lab. Located at 1000 N Broadway, the Grohmann Museum offers an engaging way to honor the day through creativity and community. Admission is free! For more details, visit the event page here.
Kids Impact Community’s MLK Day of Service 2025
January 20th, 2025 from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Congregation Shalom (7630 N Santa Monica Blvd, Milwaukee, WI 53217)
Project Website
Celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with an all-ages, family-friendly morning of learning and service.
There will be a special guest speaker, music, movement, and various on-site service projects, including packing on-the-go winter hygiene kits for neighbors struggling with housing insecurity and decorating journals for cancer care kits.
Junior Leaders: There is a leadership opportunity for kids ages 9-12 to help set-up the day before and assist attendees at a variety of project stations the day of the event.
Dr. Martin Luther King Community Center event
TBD for 2025
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in King Park, 1531 W. Vliet St., Milwaukee
Event Info
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center & Bronzeville Arts Ensemble present: ‘Words Seldom Spoken: The Lesser-Known Speeches of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’
This celebration of Dr. King will feature music, dance, and spoken word performances from local talent. The program will begin at 12:00 p.m., while an open house will commence at 1:30 p.m.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley plans to attend the celebration, where he will honor three local women who displayed life-saving heroics at the community center in December.
Meet the Watson Family at the Milwaukee Public Museum
Stop by the Streets of Old Milwaukee at the Milwaukee Public Museum and learn about the Watson family, who played a vital role in establish Milwaukee’s black community.
Explore their family history through images and objects that illustrate this vibrant era in the city’s black heritage. Free with admission.
Service Projects at Bay Shore Lutheran Church
TBD for 2025
Bay Shore Lutheran Church, located at 1200 E. Hampton Rd in Whitefish Bay, will honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with its 3rd annual service event at the church from 10 a.m. – Noon on Monday, January 15th.
The public is invited to sign up here in advance for volunteer slots and join Bay Shore members in serving the community through the following volunteer activities:
- Assembly of 500 sandwiches to be distributed to homeless individuals throughout the Milwaukee community.
- Assembly of 50 personal care kits to be distributed to homeless individuals through the Street Angels, a mobile outreach program that assists our neighborswithout homes in Milwaukee County.
- Writing letters of thanks and encouragement to veterans being treated at the Clement J Zablocki Veterans Medical Center, a health, support, and facility service to veterans in southeastern and east central Wisconsin.
- Creating and distributing Valentine’s Day cards to individuals presently staying at Crisis Resource Center, a community-based alternative to an emergency room or inpatient hospitalization for people suffering a mental health emergency and The Milwaukee Women’s Center, a mental health/dual diagnosis program serving women, including pregnant women, who are struggling with substance use disorder.
- Collecting mittens and hats which will be donated to local Street Life, an outreach organization for Milwaukee’s homeless.
Community members are also invited to stop by the church on Monday, January 15 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. to participate in letter writing and card signing as well as drop off mitten and hat donations.
MLK Dream Classic
TBD for 2025
This thrilling event, set for Monday, January 15th at the Milwaukee School of Engineering’s Kern Center, features six dynamic Milwaukee City Conference boys basketball teams. The lineup includes:
- Riverside vs. Washington at 1:00 pm
- Rufus King vs. Audubon at 2:30 pm
- St. Thomas More vs. Milwaukee Academy of Science at 4:00 pm
- Hamilton vs. Golda Meir at 5:30 pm
Experience the energy and talent of local student-athletes as they showcase not just their skills on the court, but also their positive impact within the community.
For game tickets and more details, visit the Hometown Ticketing website. Don’t miss out on this exciting tribute to MLK’s enduring influence through the spirited world of high school basketball!
Talking to kids about Martin Luther King Jr.
Recognizing a federal holiday affords the perfect opportunity to talk with kids about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy. Depending on your child’s age, you can talk with them about interesting factual information, or delve deeper into topics surrouding racism.
National Geographic has put together 10 interesting facts about Dr. King that you can use as a springboard for a discussion.
And what better way to commemorate this important day than by actually watching Dr. King’s historic speeches?
Here is a link to Dr. King’s full “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington and his “I Have Been to the Mountaintop” speech.
What other ideas do you have for celebrating Martin Luther King Day with your kids?
Calie Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Milwaukee With Kids, has spent over a decade combining her experiences as a parent of three to create a hub for Milwaukee’s family adventures.
Her decade-long teaching career in Milwaukee Public Schools and academic background, including a Master’s in Teaching from Marquette University and dual B.A.s in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, fuel her passion for inclusive and engaging family content.
Calie is also a recognized voice in local media, contributing to WISN Channel 12 News, WTMJ Wisconsin Morning News, Fox 6’s Real Milwaukee, and B93.3.
Discover more about Calie’s journey and editorial approach on her About Page and Editorial Policy Page.
