HOUSTON – Parades and celebrations will be held over the weekend and on Monday to honor the 93rd birthday of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who was just 39 when he was assassinated in 1968 while helping sanitation workers strike for better pay and workplace safety in Memphis, Tennessee.
SATURDAY
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Children’s Museum Houston’s 27th Annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration
A celebration from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. featuring musical performances, a peace march, and “I Have a Dream” speech reenactment, a Black heritage food demonstration, and arts and crafts.
Details: https://www.cmhouston.org/events/mlk-day
MLK Jr. Dream Catcher Bike Ride
A 20-mile bike ride from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. that travels by several sites Martin Luther King Jr. visited during his last trip to Houston.
Details: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mlk-jr-dream-catcher-bike-ride-tickets-502235398597
SUNDAY
Annual MLK Birthday Observance at Rothko Chapel
Presentedn partnership with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) and The Gordon Parks Foundation, Rothko Chapel’s annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday observance at 3 p.m. explores the role of the media in civil rights movements past and present. Inspired by the MFAH’s current exhibition “Gordon Parks: Stokely Carmichael and Black Power,” panelists share their work and perspectives on how photographers and journalists shape narratives around social justice movements and leaders.
Details: https://rothkochapel.org/experience/events/register/2387
MONDAY
45th “Original” MLK Jr. Day Parade
Houston’s 45th “Original” MLK Day Parade will begin at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Smith and Lamar Streets in downtown Houston with marching bands and floats. Mayor Sylvester Turner will serve as the 2023 parade grand marshal. A celebration will run from noon to 5 p.m. at Hermann Square, 900 Bagby Street, featuring food, entertainment, and arts and crafts.
Details: https://blackheritagesociety.net/
29th Annual MLK Grande Parade
The parade will begin at 10 a.m. at the intersection of San Jacinto and Elgin Streets in Midtown. The theme is “Drum Majors for the Dream.” Parade honorees include the rapper Trae Tha Truth, Turkey Leg Hut owners Lynn and Nakia Price and At-Large City Council Member Amanda Edwards.
Details: https://www.mlkgrandeparade.org/