Martin Luther King Jr. celebrations in Lane County

Haleigh Kochanski, Eugene Register-Guard
·4 min read
Winners of the 25th annual Martin Luther King Jr. art contest hang on the wall at Springfield High School for MLK Day March in Springfield Monday, Jan. 16, 2023.
Winners of the 25th annual Martin Luther King Jr. art contest hang on the wall at Springfield High School for MLK Day March in Springfield Monday, Jan. 16, 2023.
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is on Monday, Jan. 15. and local groups in Eugene and Springfield plan to honor the civil rights activist through education and celebration.

Lane Community College

When: Thursday, Jan. 11 at 3:30 p.m.

Where: Lane Community College 1st Floor Building 10 at 4000 E 30th Ave.

What: Martin Luther King Jr. Series Speaker Titus Kaphar will be the keynote speaker on "Making Spaces for Diverse History" at Lane Community College.

Kaphar imagines a more nuanced engagement with American history: envisioning new spaces for marginalized or forgotten bodies to enter, and disrupt, the evolving fabric of our culture.

RSVP: Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. | Lane Community College (lanecc.edu)

H.O.N.E.Y. and Culture CLUB

When: Saturday, Jan. 13 at 5 p.m.

Where: 796 W 13th Ave. Eugene, OR 97402

What: H.O.N.E.Y. Inc.'s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration seeks to bring the community together to celebrate and honor the life and legacy of Dr. King over food, entertainment, song, dance, and fun.

Entertainment includes keynote speaker Dr. Johnny Lake, 19-year-old local singer and songwriter Dakota Harris, professional singer Maya Thomas, and Zimbabwean singer and songwriter Ratie D, accompanied by Gilbert Zvamaida, John Mambira, and Rei Mastrogiovanni. The event will also feature African Drumming and Dancing by West African Cultural Arts Institute.

This is a ticketed event and attendees will need to register. There is no cost to attend

Registration: H.O.N.E.Y. Inc.: MLK Celebration (signupgenius.com)

Dr. Martin Luther King Prayer Breakfast

When: Sunday, Jan 14 at 9:30 a.m.

Where: St. Mark CME Church at 1167 Sam Reynolds Streets

L.I.F.E. Expo: MLK Youth Educational Workforce Summit

When: Sunday, Jan. 14 at 2-5 p.m.

Where: 44 W. 7th Ave. at Fertilab Thinkubator

What: NAACP seeks to empower BIPOC youth by providing information, education and access to an abundance of opportunities available for them. This program is for and by BIPOC youth. It will address current programs, enrollment deadlines, introduce staff, while recruiting and educating youth in an uplifting space.

Eugene Springfield NAACP Annual MLK March

Students from the North Eugene Black Student Union lead the 2023 MLK March down Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Eugene Monday, Jan. 16, 2023.
Students from the North Eugene Black Student Union lead the 2023 MLK March down Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Eugene Monday, Jan. 16, 2023.

When: Monday, Jan. 15 at 9:30 a.m.

Where: Autzen Stadium at 2700 Martin Luther King Dr. Blvd

What: The Eugene-Springfield NAACP will be hosting the 2024 MLK March followed by a keynote and a reception. Marchers will start at Autzen Stadium and continue to the Hult Center for Performing Arts. A keynote and reception will be held at The Shedd Institute at 868 High Street at 11:45 a.m.

Holden Center for Leadership and Community Engagement

When: Monday, Jan. 15 at 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Where: Participants should meet at Global Scholars Hall in the Great Room at 1710 E 15th Ave.

What: Partner with the Holden Center for Leadership and Community Engagement to "Evoke Hope" and give back to the Eugene Community. Participants will work with a variety of community partners who are committed to fostering hope for a better future in the Eugene-Springfield community. Expect to be engaged for the duration of the event as it consists of being transported to local organizations in the community.

Registration: MLK Day of Service: Evoke Hope - University of Oregon | GivePulse

Annual Springfield MLK March for Justice and Equality

When: Monday, Jan. 15

Where: The March will begin at the Springfield Justice Center at 230 4th Street at 1 p.m. The reception for student art at the Springfield High School Cafeteria will start at 1:30 p.m. An MLK celebration will begin in the Springfield High School Auditorium at 2 p.m. Springfield High School is located at 875 7th Street.

What: Springfield Public Schools and other local organizations are inviting residents to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s social values in our community and honor various entries for essays, poetry, and art.

This years theme is "Creating peace in our communities."

Bureau of Land Management in Oregon and Washington

The Bureau of Land Management is waving recreation and day-use fees on Jan. 15 in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Though most access to recreate on BLM public lands in Oregon and Washinton are free, the standard amenity day-use fees will be waived at the following locations:

  • Alsea Falls Recreation Site

  • Hyatt Lake Recreation Area

  • Gerber Recreation Area

  • Sandy Ridge Trail System

  • Shotgun Creek Recreation Site

  • Spring Recreation Site

  • Wildwood Recreation Site

  • Yakima River Canyon

  • Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area

According to the Bureau of Land Management, the standard amenity fee waiver does not apply to any expanded amenity fees for overnight camping, group day-use, cabin rentals, or individual Special Recreation Permit fee along permitted rivers.

Haleigh Kochanski is a breaking news and public safety reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at HKochanski@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebrations Eugene Springfield