MLK Day 2022: Events In Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM, AL —On April 16, 1963, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. began writing his "Letter From Birmingham Jail," at the Birmingham City Jail at 425 6th Ave S., where he was incarcerated for violating an injunction that prohibited public civil rights demonstrations in the city.

In his letter, considered one the civil rights leader's most important writings, King wrote a response to a handful of Alabama's leading white religious leaders who had issued a public statement questioning the motives and methods of the King-led demonstrations in the city.

Fifty-nine years later, and nearly 54 years after King's murder, the nation, the city of Birmingham and the state of Alabama will celebrate King this weekend, notably on Monday's federal holiday.

Here are just a few of the local events celebrating the life of MLK:

Saturday

Sixth Annual MLK Day 5K Drum Run: This fun run features drumlines from Birmingham area schools and organizations that will line up along the course to keep the beat as the runners and walkers make their way. Each drumline will receive a donation to their band booster association through the nonprofit, The Leftover Energy Foundation Inc.

When: 7 a .m. Saturday. The 5K begins at 8 a.m. the fun run/walk starts at 9 a.m.

Where: The Fourth Avenue Historic District/History Park, 1700 4th Ave. North

Cost: Registration is $35 in advance, $40 at the event

Sunday

Salt Lake City Stars at Birmingham Squadron, A celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr: The Squadron, the NBA G League affiliate of the New Orleans Pelicans, will commemorate Dr. King and other civil rights activists throughout the game. Plus, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute will honor Bishop Calvin Wallace Woods on the court. Woods participated in the March on Washington and co-founded the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR). The game will be broadcast live nationally on NBA TV.

When: Game starts at 2 p.m. Sunday

Where: Legacy Arena at the BJCC, 1898 9th Ave. No.

Tickets: Available on the Birmingham Squadron website.

Monday

Unity Breakfast. The annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast will feature Grammy-award-winning rapper, actor and activist Killer Mike as the guest speaker. The event supports the MLK Scholarship Essay program for Birmingham area high school students. The breakfast also will feature the MLK Unity Breakfast Choir.

When: Doors open at 6:30 a.m. Sunday, event begins at 7 a.m.

Where: BJCC North Exhibition Hall, 2100 Richard Arrington Junior Blvd.

Tickets: $50 and may be purchased at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased at 610 19th Street North, on the second floor.

King Day Festivities at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute: Free gallery tours, live performances and virtual programs.

When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday

Where: 520 16th St N.

United Way MLK Day of Service: For the past 21 years, the citizens of Birmingham and the surrounding areas have come out by the thousands to give back to their community on MLK Jr. Day of Service. They have refurbished schools, built homes for the needy, fed the homeless, cleaned up neighborhoods and socialized with seniors.

When: Saturday and Monday

Where: Various service projects around Birmingham

MLK's Beloved Community: A day of service sponsored by the UAB Leadership and Service Council, Live HealthSmart Alabama, Protective Lif, and the Woodlawn Foundation, MLK's Beloved Community honors the memory and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This event provides an opportunity for UAB students to join forces with Birmingham citizens to empower and strengthen the community through service, moving us closer to Dr. King's global vision of a "Beloved Community."

When: 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday

Where: Volunteers will gather for service at 10:00 a.m. at Protective Stadium.

Registration: Pre-registration is required through BlazerPulse. For event information and disability accommodations, contact getinvolved@uab.edu or call 205.934.8020.

4th Annual MLK Day Habitat Restoration at W. E. Putnam Middle School: Join Alabama Audubon for a morning of outdoor work and service at the Audubon-Datnow Forest Preserve at Birmingham's W.E. Putnam Middle School.

When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday

Where: W.E. Putnam Middle School, 1757 Montclair Rd., Birmingham

Give More Love Service Day Virtual Workshop: Birmingham poet and author Seneca Wilson will host a free virtual Martin Luther King Jr. Day empowerment workshop, which will help high school and college students understand the importance of being a leader and giving back to their communities

When: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday

Where: Online, open to the first 100 students who register online.

MLK Food Drive with half admission at the Birmingham Zoo: The Birmingham Zoo invites the community to give back to those in need in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. By donating any non-perishable or canned food item in support of the Zoo's Community Food Bank of Central Alabama Food Drive, visitors will receive half-price admission. Guests must bring one item per person to receive the discount.

When: Monday

Where: Birmingham Zoo, 2630 Cahaba Road, Birmingham

Tickets: $8 (plus tax) for adults, $7 (plus tax) for senior citizens 65 years and older and military, and $5.50 (plus tax) for children ages two to 12 years old. Children under 2 years old are free.