Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrated with Beaver County and Pittsburgh events

Scott Tady, Beaver County Times
Updated ·3 min read

Martin Luther King. Jr. Day will be celebrated by public events in Beaver County.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said a "massive action program" will cost the nation to give blacks the same economic opportunity as the white man in his speech during Vanderbilt University's Impact symposium at Memorial Gym on April 7, 1967.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said a "massive action program" will cost the nation to give blacks the same economic opportunity as the white man in his speech during Vanderbilt University's Impact symposium at Memorial Gym on April 7, 1967.

MLK Night of the Arts, Geneva College

Taking place at 7 p.m. Jan. 15 at Skye Lounge on the Geneva College campus, this free cultural event celebrates King’s life and legacy through the arts.

Geneva and community members will perform music, spoken word and oral presentations, as well as showcasing artworks. Music will come from the Mixtape Band, with an art display by the Genesis Collective and performances and spoken word from Geneva students and members of the Beaver Falls community.

"We come together as a community to remember his courage, strength and unwavering commitment to justice and attaining equality for all," a Geneva calendar listing for the event says. "Compelled by his deep Christian conviction, Dr. King inspires us to continue to work toward justice and racial reconciliation."

The sign for Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA.
The sign for Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA.

Midland celebration

Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center's YouTube channel presents The Midland Women’s Civic Club’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration, at 1 p.m. Monday.

Titled "Taking Care of Yourself to Take Care of Others," this year's event draws from a King quote: “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.”

Introductory remarks will be made by chairperson Stephanie Pennington, followed by a dance performance by Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School dance major Rashad Carter, and a vocal performance by Lila McClelland, a musical theatre major at the charter school.

The Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center and Charter School in Midland.
The Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center and Charter School in Midland.

Closed or open

Closed in observation of the Jan. 15 holiday is the Beaver County Library System and Beaver County Court House. U.S. post offices observe the holiday and will not deliver regular mail or packages on that date.

Pennsylvania-run wine and liquor stores normally open on Monday will be open during regular operating hours.

Pittsburgh celebrations

The 17th annual Let Freedom Sing Concert celebrates the social justice legacy of King, Jr this Monday at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater in Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood.

The concert includes vocal solos by Anqwenique Kinsel backed by a jazz trio, choral selections by the Heritage Gospel Chorale and performance by the intergenerational MLK Festival Choir.

The event lasts from 7-9 p.m. with "pay what moves you" tickets at kelly-strayhorn.org, benefitting the Let Freedom Sing Concerts, the Kelly Strayhorn Theater and the Afro-American Music Institute.

Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh also will commemorate King with programs Monday that help honor his legacy and inspire children and families to continue his work.

The North Side museum's schedule:

11 a.m., noon and 1:00 p.m. — Story times with author Dominique Briggs.

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Take part in King’s Corner to hear and explore words of wisdom from King at SLB Radio’s Youth Media Center

Noon to 5 p.m. — Collaborative art mural ‘Reaching for the Dream,’ a conversation started by Gwen’s Girls in MuseumLab*

1-3 p.m. — Poetry workshops in MuseumLab.

Entrance to the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh.
Entrance to the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh.

Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Martin Luther King Day celebrated in Beaver County, Pittsburgh events