Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (MLK) is Monday, January 16, 2023, and Appleton is celebrating with activities to learn and serve families in our community in his honor. It’s great to have off of work and school, but it’s also a wonderful opportunity to have conversations with our kids about civil rights, giving back, and serving others in the tradition of MLK.
Appleton Area School District is hosting their annual MLK Community Day of Service to recognize and honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
2023 Martin Luther King Jr Day Events in the Fox Cities, Appleton, and Green Bay
Lawrence University, Appleton
- Date: Monday, January 16, 2023, WI
- Time: 6:30 pm
- Details: FREE & open to the public
- Keynote Speaker: Mr. Harry Sanders, CEO of Madison 365
- Featuring Music by: Musical performances by Rosanna Williams (Appleton Area School District) and Kyree Allen (Lawrence University, 2022)
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
28th Annual Brown County MLK Celebration: Reaching for the Mountaintops…How do we get there? – This event – which is FREE and open to the public – brings our communities together to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- Date: January 14, 2023
- Time: 10:30 am – 12 pm
- Location: Virtually or In-Person at NWTC campus, 2740 W Mason St., Green Bay, WI
- Details:
- K-12 contest to creatively interpret this year’s theme of “Reaching for the Mountaintops…how do we get there?”
- Performances from Washington and Lombardi middle school, Dr. John W. Miller Jr, and more
- Teacher and community award recognitions
- Enjoy a light cultural cuisine after the show
Appleton East High School
Black History Month – FREE Community Celebration
Help celebrate Black culture and history at this FREE student-led community event! The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley’s Appleton East STAR team is working collaboratively with Appleton Area School District staff, People of Progression, and Opportunity Youth Initiative to empower a group of 10-12 students to plan and implement this community event celebrating Black history and Black culture.
This event will include entertainment, contests, games, and prizes, along with the opportunity to receive family portraits by John Nance. Guest speaker, Marvin Jones will be speaking about the importance of Black history and Black excellence in America, and how this connects to the world we live in today along with a look ahead. There will also be a number of student speakers and performances including poetry, song, and jazz ensemble. Community resources will also be present at this event.
Additional supporters for this event include African Heritage Inc., Appleton Education Foundation, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.
- Date: Saturday, February 4, 2023
- Time: 12 – 4 pm
- Location: Appleton East High School, 2121 E. Emmers Drive Appleton
MLK Jr Book Recommendations
Thank you to Little Chute Public Library for pulling ideas for our readers. If you have the day off and want to explore ideas for service and learn about Martin Luther King Jr., stop into the library and enjoy the new dramatic play area, free coffee, and library pets!
For Kids
- I am Martin Luther King Jr.
- Presents an illustrated biography of the man who spent his life pursuing his dream of equality and peace and was at the forefront of the civil rights movement until his assassination in 1968.
- Find on InfoSoup
- Find on Amazon
For Young Adults
- Dear Martin by Nic Stone
- Writing letters to the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., seventeen-year-old college-bound Justyce McAllister struggles to face the reality of race relations today and how they are shaping him.
- Find on InfoSoup
- Find on Amazon
For Adults
- The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation by Anna Malaika Tubbs
- “In her groundbreaking and essential debut, The Three Mothers, scholar Anna Malaika Tubbs celebrates Black motherhood by telling the story of the three women who raised and shaped some of America’s most pivotal heroes: Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin.”
- Find on InfoSoup
- Find on Amazon
- Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Life by Marshall Frady
- An analytical and succinct biography of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- Find on InfoSoup
- Find on Amazon
PAST EVENTS NOT YET ANNOUNCED FOR 2023
MLK Jr. Community Day of Service
Location: West High School, 610 N. Badger Ave, Appleton
Date: TBA for 2023
Time: TBA for 2023
