Bodman Celebrates 2026 MLK National Day of Service

By: Bodman PLC

In recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Bodman’s offices will be closed on Monday, January 19, 2025. This national day of service celebrates the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his commitment to social justice, service, and peaceful activism.  We encourage everyone at Bodman to consider the 19^th “a day on, not a day off” by participating in educational events or volunteer opportunities that honor Dr. King’s legacy.

Below are details on a number of MLK Day events statewide. The State Bar of Michigan also has a comprehensive MLK Day of Service website that provides some great activities and resources. We encourage our clients, friends, and followers to join us at these events.

DETROIT

Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation

• January 17 – 19 from 9:30am – 5:00pm
• Join us as we celebrate the life and lasting legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during a weekend of reflection, learning and inspiration.
• More details here

MLK Legacy Alumni Weekend

• January 17 – 19
• Join the Detroit MLK Alumni Board as we kick off the MLK Legacy Alumni Weekend with fun, memories, and good vibes!
• More details here

MLK Day Celebration

• Monday, January 19 from 10:00am – 2:00pm
• Join us for this year’s MLK Jr. Day Celebration, A Dream Rooted in Faith: The Legacy of the Black Church in Detroit During the Civil Rights Movement.
• More details here

MLK Events at the Library

• Celebrate the life, the dream, and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Detroit Public Library this January. Find opportunities to connect and reflect through discussions, storytimes, screenings, acts of service, and more.
• More details here

MLK Jr Day at the Wright – All Day Free Events

• Monday, January 19 from 10:00am – 9:00pm
• The day features a series of ticketed and free events that provide activities for every age.
• More details here

Detroit 23^rd Annual MLK Day Rally/March & Community Fellowship

• Monday, January 19 from 12:00pm – 4:00pm
• This year’s program will feature speakers and cultural workers from the Detroit area to emphasize the decades-long struggle for civil rights, self-determination and social justice locally, nationally and internationally.
• More details here

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Task Force, Inc. 41^st Annual MLK Day

• Monday, January 19 from 9:00am – 12:30pm
• This year’s theme is “Crafting the Dream in a Peaceful and Sustainable World Rooted in Dignity, Democracy and Non-Violence.”
• More details here

Michigan United’s MLK Celebration

• Monday, January 19 at 11:00am
• Don’t miss this chance to celebrate impactful community leaders and take action toward a stronger, united future! Let’s make a difference together!
• More details here

Let Freedom Ring

• Monday, January 19 at 4:00pm
• The Rainbow PUSH organization will host the “Let Freedom Ring” celebration, a free public event that commemorates the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth.
• More details here

METRO DETROIT

West Bloomfield – United We Walk at West Bloomfield Middle School

• Sunday, January 18 from 1:30pm – 4:00pm
• Participants celebrate MLK Jr.’s birthday at the 32nd annual walk at West Bloomfield Middle School. This year’s theme is “One Dream, One World, One Walk.”
• More details here

Farmington Hills – MLK Celebration: Legacy March

• Monday, January 19 from 11:00am – 11:30am
• A tradition dating back over 20 years, the Dr. King Legacy March brings families and community members together to honor Dr. King’s impact.
• More details here

Dearborn – Martin Luther King Jr Day

• Monday, January 19 from 12:00pm – 2:00pm
• From 12-2, kids will be able to enjoy story time and participate in arts and crafts galore. New this year, our Education Coordinator has also developed some kids activities for teaching safe activism on a community level.
• More details here

Flint – MLK Day Open

• Monday, January 19 from 10:00am – 4:00pm
• Join us for a special Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration as the museum opens on a Monday for a day of creativity and community.
• More details here

Sterling Heights – Dr. Martin Luther King Unity Walk

• Monday, January 19 at 10:00am
• The event will include opening remarks from guest speaker Bishop James Williams, a reading from poet Zig Zag Claybourne, light refreshments and a short walk through the community, beginning and ending at City Hall.
• More details here

ANN ARBOR

20^th Annual MLK Day Celebration at Washtenaw Community College

• Thursday, January 15 from 10:30am – 1:00pm
• We are proud to welcome Hill Harper as our featured speaker. An acclaimed actor, best-selling author and public servant, Harper is known for his powerful voice on civic engagement, education and social justice.
• More details here

Eastern Michigan University – MLK Celebration 2026

• January 19 – 23
• More details here

MLK Keynote Memorial Lecture, Unbowed and Unbroken: The Enduring Struggle for Justice

• Monday, January 19 from 10:00am – 12:00pm
• The 2026 Symposium will feature two keynote speakers: Donzaleigh Abernathy, an American actress, author, and civil rights activist who is also Dr. King’s goddaughter, and Derrick Johnson, the 19th president and CEO of the NAACP.
• More details here

MLK Children and Youth Program

• Monday, January 19 from 8:00am – 3:00pm
• Approximately 300 children and youth in grades Pre-Kindergarten-12 will join us to learn about, engage with, and celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through fun and educational activities.
• More details here

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Free Drop-In

• Monday, January 19 from 11:00am – 3:00pm
• Using a variety of materials, participants will have access to everything they need to design and create a quilt square that reflects what they love and value about community.
• More details here

MLK Day Service Project

• Monday, January 19 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm
• Join us for a service project making greeting cards for Meals on Wheels. You can also donate trial-size hygiene products to go to the Warming Center and Hope Clinic.
• More details here

Martin Luther King Jr. and Militarism Today

• Monday, January 19 from 6:00pm – 7:30pm
• Martin Luther King Jr. found militarism to be one of the three fundamental evils to equality in American Culture.
• More details here

GRAND RAPIDS

Grand Valley’s MLK Commemoration Week

• January 19 – 24
• More details here

“Integrating into a Burning House”: Martin’s Great Fear and The Challenge Before Us

• Monday, January 19 from 6:30pm – 8:00pm
• Join us for a powerful and timely public lecture by Dr. Randal Maurice Jelks, who will explore Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ‘s haunting concern toward the end of his life—that the United States had become “a burning house.”
• More details here

26^th Annual MLK Day Corporate Breakfast

• Monday, January 19
• Join us on Monday, January 19th, 2026, as we gather at DeVos Place, Downtown Grand Rapids, for a morning filled with purpose, unity, and the indomitable spirit of progress.
• More details here

40th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration: A Call to Courageous Community Action

• Monday, January 19 from 6:00pm – 7:30pm
• Join us for a panel discussion and community conversation on unity, action and Kingian nonviolence.
• More details here

Naomi Tutu – Our Shared Humanity: Creating Understanding Through the Principles of MLK

• Monday, January 19 from 12:30pm – 1:30pm
• Naomi Tutu will share how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s principles can guide reconciliation, justice, and cross-cultural understanding.
• More details here

The 40th Annual MLK Celebration: A Call to Courageous Community Action

• Monday, January 19 at 6:00pm
• This community gathering is a powerful launchpad for the next chapter of King’s enduring vision. Artistic performances and speakers will highlight the event.
• More details here

The Courage of Dr. King

• Monday, January 19 at 6:30pm
• Presented by Kelsey Perdue, a Grand Rapids City Commissioner and Public Health Leader.
• More details here