Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be observed on Monday.
The following are just some of the events and activities planned in the Pittsburgh area to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights leader who was born on Jan. 15, 1929, in Atlanta, and assassinated on April 4, 1968.
Friday, Jan. 13
• 7-10 p.m.: “From MLK to March: Comics and Cartoons of the Civil Rights Era” -- Celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at the ToonSeum on Friday with free admission from 7 to 10 p.m. to the exhibition. Details: toonseum.org..
Sunday, Jan. 15
• After noon Mass: King Commemoration at St. Paul Cathedral -- “Remembering the Struggle” is the theme of the annual celebration. Robert Lavelle, co-owner of Lavelle Real Estate, will share memories of his time as a Freedom Fighter during the 1964 voter campaign in the South. The highlight of the program will be awarding of winners in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. School Essay/Poster Contest for diocesan school grades 3-5 and 6-8. The event at St. Paul, 108 N. Dithridge St., is free and open to the public.
Monday, Jan. 16
• 10 a.m.-5 p.m.: "King for a Day" -- At the Children's Museum, 10 Children's Way, North Side, kids and adults can join in reading aloud the speeches of Dr. King at the microphone in a program hosted by "The Saturday Light Brigade" radio show. You also create your own zine inspired by civil rights images from Pittsburgh and listen to Saturday Light Brigade's "Social Justice" webcast, in which local teens discuss civil rights accomplishments and challenges. www.pittsburghkids.org or 412-322-5058.
• Starting at 10 a.m.: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration -- The Midland Women’s Civic Club will host the annual event in the MainStage Theater at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center in Midland, including a luncheon at 11:30 a.m. in Alumni Hall. The keynote speaker at 1 p.m. is Dr. Christopher B. Howard, president of Robert Morris University. Details: lincolnparkarts.org or 724-576-4644.
• Noon: Prayer Vigil -- Sponsored by the Wilkinsburg Sanctuary Project for Peace, at the Wilkinsburg train station across the street from the borough building on Ross and Hay streets.
• Noon-4 p.m.: Eighth annual East Liberty Celebrates MLK -- All-ages activities at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, 5941 Penn Ave., and Northway Christian Community Church East End, East End, 5941 Penn Ave. Admission is “pay what makes you happy.” Details: www.kelly-strayhorn.org or 412-363-3000, and check out the #KSTCommunityChallenge hashtag.
• Noon to 4 p.m.: Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Bash at the Mattress Factory -- The annual event celebrates MLK's life and visionary spirit with art projects, music, dance and snacks. In partnership with the Union Project’s 1000 Birds Project, participants can make clay birds inscribed with messages, and the birds will be returned to the Union Project to be kiln fired. Galleries open to visitors during the event; admission is free for all ages; www.mattress.org.
• 1-4 p.m.: “Friendship Bowls with Kevin Snipes” -- A workshop at the Contemporary Craft, 2100 Smallman St., Strip District, is inspired by MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Artists of all skill levels can make small handmade clay bowls with Kevin Snipes, who will share his expertise and experiences as an African-American ceramic artist. Cost: $45, plus a $25 materials fee; www.contemporarycraft.org or 412-261-7003.
• 4:30 p.m.: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Writing Awards -- A part of Carnegie Mellon University's annual celebration, high school and college students from Western Pennsylvania will read their winning entries. Jim Daniels, the Thomas Stockham Baker University Professor of English, created the awards program in 1999 to provide a safe space for students to talk honestly about shared experiences with discrimination. CMU campus, Rangos Ballroom, 5032 Forbes Ave., Oakland. Admission is free; details: www.cmu.edu/dietrich/english/mlk/index.html.
• 8 p.m.: “Poetry Unplugged” -—The August Wilson Center for African American Culture, 980 Liberty Ave., Downtown, celebrates MLK Day with a night of poetry, music and activism, featuring poets and lyricists from New York, California, Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh. Hosted by Mahogany L. Browne with DJ Jive Poetic. Doors open at 8 p.m. with an after party at 10 p.m. Tickets: $15; students $10 at box office with ID; trustarts.org or 412-456-6666.
First Published: January 12, 2017, 5:00 a.m.
