The third Monday of January each year is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which honors the legacy of the towering civil rights figure. No single person is more closely associated with the American struggle for equality than Nobel Peace Prize winner King, who was one of the most prominent leaders of the civil rights movement from the 1955 boycott of segregation on public buses in Montgomery, Alabama, through his assassination in 1968 while in Memphis to support a strike by sanitation workers.

Observing this holiday provides an opportunity for the UConn community to reflect on King’s life and legacy.

The following events are scheduled for the UConn community:

Monday, January 20, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service

Students from all UConn campuses are invited to take part in service opportunities, hear from various speakers, and engage in meaningful discussions. This event is being sponsored by the Office of Community Outreach.

Tuesday, January 21, 2 p.m.

National Day of Racial Healing Virtual Event

As part of the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Initiative, there is a recognition that racial healing lies at the heart of racial equity. A virtual event entitled “A Discussion on Racial Healing: Acknowledging Indigenous Wisdom, Addressing Racial Trauma, and Advancing Trauma-Informed Care” will be held and feature, among others, Dr. Dyanne Tappin, assistant professor of medicine at UConn Health.

Thursday, January 30, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

MLK Day Service and Advocacy Summit

A showcase of student activities in the Keller Lobby at UConn Health in Farmington will begin this celebration of King’s legacy, which will also feature a keynote address by Linda Sprague Martinez, director of the Health Disparities Institute at UConn Health and a professor in the departments of medicine and public health sciences within UConn School of Medicine.

Friday, January 31, 6 p.m.

A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This event at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts in Storrs is presented by UConn’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion and features Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Todd Dulaney. UConn’s Voices of Freedom Choir will also perform. In addition, UConn’s 2025 MLK Legacy Awad recipients will be honored at the event. Tickets are required for this event.