20th ANNUAL MLK HOLIDAY DC PARADE 

JANUARY 18, 2025
11 AM  MLK Parade @ Entertainment & Sports Arena

Doors open at 10:30am / Note: this year’s event will be held indoors at ESA.

Join us for the 20th Annual MLK Holiday DC Peace Walk & Parade, celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy with this year’s theme: “Commit to the Noble Struggle for Equal Rights.”

For 40+ years, this historic event has honored Dr. King’s vision, starting in 1979 with radio host Ralph Waldo “Petey” Greene, Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, and Councilmember Wilhelmina J. Rolark. Held on one of the first streets named for Dr. King, the parade began six years before his birthday became a federal holiday.

This year’s celebration will take place indoors at the Entertainment and Sports Arena (ESA) in Congress Heights, SE DC. Participants will march into the arena from Cypress Street, leading into a day full of activities:

• Parade performances with a reviewing stage.
• Student Essay Competition Awards honoring young leaders.
• A Health & Wellness Fair to support community well-being.
• Free groceries, local merchandise, and more!

Dr. King’s life reminds us that “every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice.” Be part of this year’s MLK Holiday DC Peace Walk & Parade and honor his legacy.

Let’s make history together on Saturday, January 18, 2025—see you there!

PARADE HISTORY:

The D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Parade was conceived in 1977 by the late Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, founder of The Washington Informer and co-founder of the United Black Fund, along with his wife, the late Ward 8 Councilmember Wilhelmina J. Rolark, Esq., and the late Ralph “Petey” Greene, a community activist and radio personality. Thanks to these three renowned civic leaders, the District of Columbia was one of the first jurisdictions in the nation to hold a parade honoring Dr. King following his untimely death on April 4, 1968. It helped in the effort to establish a national holiday in Dr. King’s honor and today it reinforces the work being done by government agencies, community non-profit organizations and private citizens to promote peace and non-violence locally and around the world.

The parade began in 1979, six years before Kings’s birthday became a federal holiday. Across the nation and the world, Dr. King’s life and legacy is commemorated by a day of service and promoted as A Day On and Not a Day Off.  The Martin Luther King Jr. Parade symbolizes the need to continue Dr. King’s work and reinforces the idea reflected in his words, “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” Those who believe in Dr. King’s message are considered members of the Coalition for Peace and are invited to join the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Parade every year.

MLK HOLIDAY DC PEACE WALK and RALLY

SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 2025

9:30AM  – Peace Rally @ Shepherd Park (intersection of Malcom X and MLK Ave)

10:30 AM  – Peace Walk Step off to Entertainment & Sports Arena

Note: The parade procession will follow the Peace Walk to ESA at the intersection of Sycamore St. & Cypress St.

About the Rally…

Black women have historically been, and continue to be, the unpaid, invisible and devalued force in the noble struggle for civil rights. This was true during the height of the civil rights movement when strong women such as Ella Baker and Dorothy Height were placed in secondary roles to the “Big Six”. So what’s next? Where do Black women go from here in the noble struggle? There have been calls for Black women to rest. There are memes showing the 92% sipping tea while the country burns. Those solutions speak to Black women and self care. The time, however, is now for those we support to support us.

Pull up. Lock in. The Noble Struggle Continues!

PEACE WALK HISTORY:

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Peace Walk is held annually on the federal MLK holiday. The Peace Walk is coordinated by the Coalition for Peace, a group of individuals and non-profits dedicated to peace and positivity for the Washington DC metropolitan communities.

Over a thousand ‘Peace Walkers’ join annually in the two-mile walk along MLK Ave in Southeast DC. Notable previous year attendees include Nick Cannon, Mayor Muriel Bowser, former Mayor and Current Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent Gray, radio personality Donnie Simpson, music virtuoso Blake Miles Hopkins, and the late civil rights legend Dick Gregory who spoke at the beginning and end of our 2014 Peace Walk.

MLK Holiday DC Annual Prayer Breakfast

Saturday, January 11, 2025
9am to 12:30pm
Matthews Memorial Baptist Church
2616 MLK Jr. Ave, SE, Washington, DC

Prayer Breakfast Tickets: $35 per person

A multi-cultural and intergenerational event with clergy and faith leaders from the DMV. Feast with us and be spiritually fed in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This year’s breakfast will be held in-person.

Please check other events we have scheduled to honor Dr. King’s legacy and continue to build on the work he started.

A multi-cultural and intergenerational event with clergy and faith leaders from the DMV. Feast with us and be spiritually fed in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This year’s breakfast will be held in-person.

Please check our website for other events we have scheduled to honor Dr. King’s legacy and continue to build on the work he started.

6th Annual MLK Holiday DC Hopeful Healing Health and Wellness Fair

SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 2025
10:30 AM TO 2 PM
Entertainment & Sports Arena
1100 Oak Dr SE, Washington, DC

Note: this year’s event will be held indoors at ESA.
Doors open at 10:30am

FREE to the public. Registration Required.

Focus: Meeting the needs of mental health, giving hope, and equipping the community with resources and services needed.

Want to Exhibit? Veiw details below

Exhibitor Details

The Wellness Fair gives priority to exhibitors who provide health services (for example, blood pressure, diabetes and other medical screening, life saving demonstrations, nutritional information, and chiropractic and massage therapist services).

Government and Non-Profit Tables: $25
Commercial Vendor Space: $100
**exhibitors may NOT distribute food

Vendor spaces are limited and available in the following sizes:

• 10′ by 10′
• 10′ by 8′
• 10′ x 6′
• 10′ by 5′

Location

Entertainment & Sports Arena (Indoors)
1100 Oak Dr SE, Washington, DC

Load In

8am to 10am
**Due to traffic shutdowns, we urge you to set up early
Upon arrival, sign-in with Jaren at the entrance of the parking lot
The fair will start at 11am to 2pm / Doors open at 10:30am

What to bring with you

Bring your own table and chairs
**exhibitors may NOT distribute food

What will be provided

We will provide assigned exhibit space

Parking

Street parking only

Load Out

2pm
We ask that you staff your table during the entire fair

If you have questions, please email wwhrenjr@gmail.com or telephone John at 703-343-5186.

11th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. D.C. Student Essay Contest

For the 11th Year, the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Institute Alumni Association in conjunction with the DC Martin Luther King Holiday Committee will host the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest for DC Residents/Students Grades 5 through 12. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Winners in each division will win cash prizes. Entrants must be DC Residents.

ENTRY DEADLINE
Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 11:59 pm.

You can assist the essay contest in the following ways:

·       By serving as a essay competition judge

·       By helping us spread the word about the essay competition with other individuals and organizations that may have potential entrants

·      By contributing to help pay for the expenses for the event

There is a separate essay prompt for Elementary School students this year. The Middle and High School Students have their own essay prompt. 

Essay Prompts and Word Counts:

Elementary School Essay Prompt:

Why is it important to give back to the community?

Elementary School 250 to 500- word count 

Middle School and High School Prompt

What is the most important issue that African American Women face today and what would be your solution to that issue?

Middle School 500 to 700-word count

High School 700 to 1000-word count

Essay’s must be submitted by entry category

https://form.jotform.com/MYLIAA/2025-mlk-jr-dc-essay-contest—HS

https://form.jotform.com/MYLIAA/2025-mlk-jr-dc-essay-contest—MS

https://form.jotform.com/MYLIAA/2025-mlk-jr-dc-essay-contest—elem

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to reply to the email or contact Norman Nixon on (202) 236-6904.

The Martin Luther King Jr., Holiday Committee of Washington, DC in partnership with the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Institute Alumni Association and our Community Partners have joined together to sponsor The Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Essay Contest.