This weekend, events around Boulder County will celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and his work as a nonviolent advocate for civil rights.Celebrations will be held Friday through Monday in Longmont and Boulder. This year, the free events are supported by local organizations with the exception of the NAACP Boulder County branch, which dissolved last year.The events kick off Friday with a celebration at Longmont’s Silver Creek High School, 4901 Nelson Road. The program, “Dr. King’s Everlasting Message,...
This weekend, events around Boulder County will celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and his work as a nonviolent advocate for civil rights.
Celebrations will be held Friday through Monday in Longmont and Boulder. This year, the free events are supported by local organizations with the exception of the NAACP Boulder County branch, which dissolved last year.
The events kick off Friday with a celebration at Longmont’s Silver Creek High School, 4901 Nelson Road. The program, “Dr. King’s Everlasting Message,” will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and will focus on applying King’s message of peace to the local community.
The Silver Creek High event has taken place on Monday in previous years but has moved to Friday this year. Glenda Strong Robinson, one of the event coordinators, said the move should make it easier for community members to attend other local celebrations on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“Dr. King’s Everlasting Message” will also come to the Boulder Jewish Community Center, 6007 Oreg Ave., from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. The event will include vignettes performed by local actors, film excerpts and live music honoring Colorado jazz musician George Morrison.
Both “Dr. King’s Everlasting Message” events are being organized by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Planning Committee in collaboration with the Longmont Multicultural Action Committee.
On Monday, Motus Theater will present “Youth Behind & Beyond Bars: Stories from the Frontlines of the Juvenile Justice System” in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty and guest musicians will reflect on the experiences of adults who went through the juvenile justice system. The performance runs from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St. in Boulder.
Boulder will continue celebrating King next weekend with an event hosted by the Ilalle Hill Organization, a nonprofit that serves refugees and immigrants in Colorado. Held at the Boulder Chamber office at 2440 Pearl St., the event will feature education presentations and interactive discussions on justice and equality. The celebration runs from 1 to 5 p.m. Jan. 24.
The Boulder events are financially supported by the city’s Human Relations Fund. The fund also supports events related to Juneteenth, Immigrant Heritage Month and Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
The NAACP Boulder County branch had previously sponsored local Martin Luther King Jr. Day events including the annual celebration in Longmont. In March, the NAACP Boulder County branch announced its decision to shut down, referencing friction with the national organization. In June, the national NAACP sued 13 former executive members of the Boulder County branch.