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The Howard County Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission (MLK) was established by order of the Howard County Executive to encourage and coordinate appropriate ceremonies and activities honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. Commissioners are appointed by the County Executive to serve an initial term of two years. Each year, the MLK celebration takes place on the third Sunday of January. The Day of Service takes place the next day on the third Monday of January. The Day of Service provides a variety of service opportunities throughout the community that is representative of Dr. King’s dedication to servant leadership.

 

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2023 Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration

2024 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration & Day of Service

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, the Howard County Office of Human Rights & Equity, and the Howard County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission invite you to our Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday celebration.

This family-friendly, in-person event will take place at Howard Community Horowitz Center Smith Theatre on Sunday, January, 14, 2024 at 2:00 PM.

The celebration will include a keynote address from Howard Community College graduate, Israah Ansari; remarks and presentations from public officials; performances by diverse community groups; and recognition of the 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Living the Dream” award recipients and student essay, oratory, and poster contest winners.

The “Living the Dream” Award honors individuals and organizations who exemplify the work and legacy of Dr. King. This year’s honorees will be recognized for their devotion to the community.

For the student essay, oratory, and poster contests, students were asked to reflect upon this year’s contest theme, "Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.”

The reception commences at 2:00 PM, followed by the 3:00 PM celebration.

Parking Instructions:

Please park in the West Parking Garage on the campus of Howard Community College. Click here for directions on how to get to the West Parking Garage on campus.

Register Here

 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service

On Monday, January 15, 2024, join us at the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The Day of Service provides a variety of service opportunities and ways to honor Dr. King's legacy through mixed-media art, education, and fellowship. Our interactive Day of Service that includes an MLK tribute room, a Read-In with community members reading books about Dr. King and service activities for all ages!

For More Information: (410) 313-6430 or email: [email protected]

2024 MLK Day of Service Activities

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Day of Service Activities at the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center

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Join us at the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center, on January 15, 2027 for our annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. 

Where: Harriet Tubman Cultural Center
             
8045 Harriet Tubman Lane
             Columbia, MD 21044

Time: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

In the tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s birthday being, “A Day On, not a Day Off,” Howard County is offering numerous activities that offers the community the opportunity to honor the civil rights leader’s legacy through service, education, artistic expression, and community-engagement.

MLK Immersion Experience: An interactive, creative educational experience that brings Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy to life through artistic creation, videos, sound, music and storytelling.  Elements include the following:

  • 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM - Health Clinic:  In partnership with the Howard County Health Department, residents will receive free Covid Rapid Test Kites, KN95 Face Masks and Flu vaccinations.
     
  • 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM - Voter Registration Drive: Volunteers will be on hand to help people to register to vote. Bring proof of residency. Click HERE to see what qualifies as proof. Want to become a volunteer to help register people to vote? Watch THIS recording of our training webinar. Offered in partnership with the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Howard County.
     
  • 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM: Your Neighbor's Keepers: Bring donations of non-perishable food items, canned goods, dry goods, sanitary napkins, baby goods, school supplies, coats, etc. Collected items will donated to Columbia Community Care, Hopeworks and Grassroots.
     
  • 10 AM to 2:00 PM - MLK Reflection Room: A video installation featuring Dr. King’s speeches,  music and memories including Life’s Blueprint Speech, the March on Washington, the Three Evils: War, Racism and Poverty speech and performances by the SNCC Freedom Singers.
     
  • 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM - Book Display: Howard County Library System will provide books about Dr. King including: My Daddy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by MLK III, When Martin Luther King Jr. Wore Roller Skates by Mark Andrew Weakland, Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport, A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation by Barry Wittenstein, Feliz Cumpleanos, Martin Luther King by Jean Marzollo and others.
     
  • 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM - Children's Read-In: Community partners will read short stories about MLK and the Civil Rights Movement at selected intervals throughout the day.  Howard County Library System will provide a mobile library for attendees to check out books.
     
  • 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM - Caring Craft Corner with Columbia Community Care: Children can create crafts that inspire humanity, civility and peace to share with those in need including affirmation bracelets, greeting cards and story quilt.
     
  • 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM – Kits to Heart: Kits to Heart provides thoughtfully designed cancer kits for patients and caregivers. This service activity will provide children, youth, adults, and families an opportunity to create two craft activities – Care Bear Towels and Decorative Handwritten Letters. These items will be included in cancer care kits and distributed to patients in Howard County and are eligible for community service hours.
     
  • 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM & 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Sensory Fidget Toy Activity: MLK Holiday Commissioner Hunter Craig will facilitate a Fidget Toy Activity for children with sensory processing experiences and all children between the ages of 6-12.
In addition to these activities, we are also collecting non-perishable food items, baby items, new coats and school supplies, sanitary napkins and hygiene products to support clients of Columbia Community Care, Grassroots and the Howard County Food Bank.   
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MLK Day of Service Food Collection

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MLK Day of Service Food Collection

Location: Area Grocery Stores

Monday, January 15, 2024

8:00 AM to 11:00 AM

The  Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission is collecting pantry staples, nonperishable food items, sanitary items, and baby products for the Howard County Food Bank.  Drop off your donations at one of the following locations:

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2024 MLK Grocery Store Drop Off Locations

Monthly Pop-Up Food Pantry

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Monthly Pop-up Food Pantry

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MLK Monthly Food Pantry 2024

Join us at the Ridgley Run Community Center for our monthly food distribution Pop-up Pantry in collaboration with the Harriet Tubman Foundation. If you'd like to volunteer to help us sort and distribute food to the community, come at 8:30 AM.  

Commission Information

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Commissioners

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Kurt W. Wall, Chair - Term Expires: 3/1/24

Yetta Roggerson, Vice-Chair  - Term Expires: 3/1/24

Teresa Garcia, Secretary  - Term Expires: 03/01/24

Hunter Craig - Term Expires: 3/1/25

Dr. Clarita Dawson  - Term Expires: 3/1/25

Bert Hash, Jr.  - Term Expires: 3/1/24

Tina Horn  - Term Expires: 5/1/24

Abbie Diane Martin, Ph.D. - Term Expires: 3/1/24

Kimberly McCauley  - Term Expires: 3/1/24

Daniel Nairn  - Term Expires: 04/4/25

Bonnie Sorak  - Term Expires: 03/01/25

Brett Vess  - Term Expires: 03/01/25

Ishaan Busireddy, Student Commissioner  - Term Expires: 6/30/2024

Tabitha Dixon, Student Commissioner - Term Expires 6/30/2024

 

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Meeting Schedule

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The Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission meets on the first Wednesday of every month, at 6:00 PM, except in July.  Meetings are open to the public.

January 03, 2024

February 07, 2024

March 06, 2024

April 03, 2024

May 01, 2024

June 05, 2024

July 03, 2024

September 04, 2024

October 02, 2024

November 06, 2024

December 04, 2024

Meeting Agendas & Minutes

Title

2024

Content

March 6th

February 7th

January 3rd

Title

2023

Content

December 6th

November 1st

October 4th

September 12 Commission Gathering

  • Agenda
  • No Minutes as this Event

September 6

August 2

June 24th Retreat

June 7

May 3

April 12

March 1

February 1st

January 4th

 

Title

2022

Content

December 7th 

 

November 2nd

October 12th

September 7th

 

August 3rd

June 1st 

  • Agenda 
  • Minutes (No Quorum, no meeting)

May 14th Annual Retreat

May 4th

April 6th

March 2nd

 

February 2nd

January 12th

January 5th

 

Title

2021

Content

December 29th

 

December 1st 

November 3rd

October 6th

September 1st

August 4th

June 2nd

May 5th

April 7th

March 3rd

February 3rd

January 6th

    Title

    2020

    Content

    December 2nd

    November 4th

    October 7th

    September 2nd

    August 5th

    June 3rd

    May 6th

    April 1st

    March 4th

    February 5th

    January 8th

    Title

    2019

    Content

    December 4th

    November 6th

    October 2nd

    September 4th

    July 10th

    June 5th

    May 1st

    April 3rd

    March 6th

    February 6th

    January 2nd

    Title

    2018

    Content

    December 5th

    November 7th

    October 3rd

    September 5th

    June 6th

    April 4th

    March 7th

    February 28th

    January 3rd

    Title

    2017

    Content

    December 6th

    November 1st

    October 4th

    September 6th

    June 7th

    April 5th

    March 1st

    February 1st

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