Huge MLK Day Celebration Planned In West Hartford

Town of West Hartford

WEST HARTFORD, CT — One of the state's biggest Martin Luther King Day events will bring in guests from throughout the state on Monday, Jan. 20, in West Hartford.

The town's 29th annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life will be on Monday, Jan. 20, at the West Hartford Town Hall auditorium, 50 S. Main St. It will take place from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Each year, the event pays tribute to Dr. King's ideals and vision and grows more popular and inspiring.

The celebration is free and open to people of all ages.

West Hartford’s 2025 event centers on Dr. King’s message about resiliency: “If you can't fly, then run; if you can't run, then walk; if you can't walk, then crawl; but whatever ou do, you have to keep moving forward.” View the speech here.

A video capturing community leaders reflecting on the 2025 theme will be featured during the event.

This year’s keynote speaker is John Mills, a trained genealogist, independent scholar, a descendant of the enslaved, and President of the Alex Breanne Corp., a Connecticut-based non-profit.

The Alex Breanne Corp. focuses on research, interrogation, and presentation of lesser-known stories representing the life experiences of the American enslaved, presented from an African American perspective.

In addition, the first Earl Exum Servant Leader Award will be announced during the MLK celebration.

“This is a way for West Hartford to honor and remember our friend Earl Exum and spotlight an individual who is serving others in our community,” said Adrienne Billings-Smith, West Hartford’s equity officer and Title VI Coordinator and member of the MLK planning committee.

The MLK committee has selected Mark Walker from a field of nominations of dedicated community members to be the first recipient of the Earl Exum Servant Leader Award.

Retired after nearly 40 years in the banking industry, Walker is the pastor with Open Arms Christian Ministries and a youth sports coach with On The Court.

He has held leadership positions on many civic and charitable organization boards, including The Mercy Community, where he is currently the chair, the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce, the Foundation for West Hartford Public Schools, West Hartford Public Television (West Hartford Community Interactive), and the Smith School PTO.

The 2024 MLK celebration also includes a welcome from Mayor Shari Cantor, and an invocation by Rev. Dr. Adam Robersmith of the Universalist Church of West Hartford.

West Hartford Board of Education member LaToya Yagaloff will serve as master of ceremonies.

Each year, two students from the town's public high schools are chosen to give their perspectives on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

This year, Asha Comiso of Conard High School and Maxwell St. Arromand of Hall High School were selected.

The event features musical performances by the Conard High School Jazz Combo, Bristow Middle School’s Voices of Bristow, and Hall High School’s Choraliers.

Kaleea Alston-Griffin, president of the West Hartford African American Social & Cultural Organization, one of the sponsoring organizations, will introduce the keynote speaker.

Student artwork, essays, and poems from West Hartford elementary schools will also be displayed.

The event will kick off with a video capturing West Hartford Public Schools elementary students creating MLK art projects.

Following the event, Conard High School junior Julian Watson will lead an interpretive discussion on one of the images in the MLK mural on the library wall.

Interested participants should meet on the plaza near the Cinépolis movie theater.

Sponsors of this event include the West Hartford African American Social & Cultural Organization (WHAASCO), the Town of West Hartford, West Hartford Public Schools, Hidden History, and Concerned Parents of Color of West Hartford. West Hartford Community Interactive will air the event live on Comcast Channel 5, Frontier 6098, and on their YouTube channel, https://youtube.com/live/IySwIUQTUCE.

Special thanks to Nothing Bundt Cakes for providing refreshments.

Free parking is available in the town hall lot.