Downtown Erie march, other events scheduled to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. on MLK Day

Honoring the life and legacy of civil rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr., will be at the heart of several events in Erie before and after Monday, or Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The federal holiday, which was established by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, commemorates King's achievements during the civil rights movement and marks the first federal holiday to honor an African American.

We've compiled a list of local observances in the Erie area. If you know of others, send an email to arao@gannett.com. You can also add your events at GoErie.com/calendar.

Saturday, Jan. 13

13th Annual Dr. King Awards Dinner: The event will take place Saturday at the MLK Event Center, 312 Chestnut St. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. The event’s theme this year is “Celebrating Women of our Community who Influence, Change, and Impact Lives” with guest speaker Lora A. Adams-King, superintendent of Farrell School District. For more information, contact James Sherrod, executive director of the Martin Luther King Center at 814-459-2761 or visit mlkcentererie.org.

Monday, Jan. 15

Martin Luther King Jr. Day March: The annual march will take place Monday, starting at noon. Participants will begin assembling at 11 a.m. in Perry Square in downtown Erie, then head west on West Sixth Street and then north on Chestnut Street to the Martin Luther King Center, 312 Chestnut St. There will be a brief wreath-laying ceremony and a memorial program at the center.

MLK Day of Service: Students, faculty and staff will carry on King's legacy of civic engagement by participating in community service Monday, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., hosted by Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus. The event is open to the public. Contact Behrend’s Office of Civic Engagement for further details at psbservice@psu.edu or 814-898-6609.

Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Prayer Service: The service will take place Monday at 6 p.m. at Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel, 520 Peach St. All are welcome to participate in a prayer service based around the impact of King's words and life as well as a celebration of Black History Month. The service will include poetry, ecumenical praise and worship, scripture readings and a keynote speech from Gannon graduate and entrepreneur A’Darius Porter, according to Gannon University spokesperson Doug Oathout. The event will also include live music from Erie guest musicians and student-leaders, as well as hors d'oeuvres and refreshments in Kraus Hall provided by APB.

Tuesday, Jan. 16

Key Arts Productions presents: The Road to Freedom: On Tuesday, beginning at 5 p.m. at Gannon University's Yehl Ballroom, the public is invited to attend a dynamic live multimedia presentation dedicated to Harriet Tubman’s Underground Railroad, Frederick Douglass’ rise from slavery and Booker T. Washington’s persistence in his quest for impartiality.

Wednesday, Jan. 17

Campus Family Brunch and Play: Open to the public, this event will be held Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in McGarvey Commons at Penn State Behrend. Members of the Behrend community are invited to the annual event that includes a community brunch featuring award-winning one-man play Incognito: An American Odyssey of Race and Self-Discovery.

"At the River I Stand: The Climax of the Civil Rights Movement": A film screening will take place Wednesday at 4 p.m., in Reed Auditorium at Penn State Behrend. Narrated by Paul Winfield, the documentary recounts the two months leading up to Martin Luther King Jr.’s death in 1968. It focuses in part on the strike by Memphis sanitation workers, a labor action that quickly expanded into a national movement. Free. For more information, call 814-898-7101.

2023 march in Erie: Hundreds gather for 32nd annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day march in Erie

A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on X @ETNRao.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie march, events scheduled to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.