Ways to Celebrate MLK Day as an MBU Community

Today we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King. Many would argue the influence the minister and activist had on the civil rights movement. King ignited a flame of loving your neighbor radically that continues to burn today. As you navigate MLK day, we challenge you to be intentional about learning, listening and serving in honor of MLK’s courage. Read below for ways you can celebrate MLK day today.

Visit

In April of 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated outside the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. The news of his death sent panic across the globe. Today, the Lorraine Motel is home to the National Civil Rights Museum. The museum documents the timeline of key events in the civil rights movement and Martin Luther King Jr.’s impact. If you are unable to visit the museum, you may access the virtual tour of the museum.

Click here to start your virtual tour.

Watch

The “I Have A Dream” speech can be found in any history book, but there is something particularly captivating about watching MLK deliver these powerful words in front of the Lincoln Memorial. That faithful day in 1963, King climbed the marble steps of the Lincoln monument to cast his vision in front of more than 200,000 people. This widely quoted speech marked one of his most famous endeavors

Click here to watch the famous speech.

Learn

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a household name, but there are a lot of facts about him that you may not know. Besides being a civil rights leader and a Baptist minister, he was also a doctoral degree recipient from Boston University where he studied systematic theology. Dr. King was also the youngest person at the time to receive a Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 35.

You can honor the legacy MLK left behind by learning about his life’s work and reflect on ways you can apply his words in your own life.

Serve

While many are off work for MLK Day, the federal holiday is a great time to serve your community. For many, this has long been a day devoted to following MLK’s life of service and volunteerism. Think of it this way: MLK’s example is our call to action.

Looking for ways to serve in St. Louis? Click here.