MLK HOLIDAY DC
Commit to the Noble Struggle for Equal Rights
SATURDAY, JAN 18, 2025
WASHINGTON, DC
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“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do… you have to keep moving forward.”
We welcome all residents of the District of Columbia and surrounding areas to take part in the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace Walk and Parade.
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DETAILS
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!
For additional resources, check:
VIEW PARADE HISTORY
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.
MLK PEACE WALK AND PARADE
VOLUNTEER SIGN UP FORM
MLK Holiday DC has been a success thanks to amazing people like YOU!
Sign up for a volunteer shift today.
MLK Holiday DC Community Service Project
For the 2025 holiday observance, we’re planning a cleanup in and around Shepherd Parkway — to take place between 2:00 and 4:00 pm on Friday, January 17.
Look for us at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE and Malcolm X Avenue SE (in the park, roughly across the street from the Popeye’s.
We’ll clean the park and nearby streets — getting ready for the Peace Walk that takes place the following morning. We’ll provide trash bags and tools to grab the trash. You should dress warmly and bring gloves.
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.
HIGHLIGHTS
A special thank you to our Sponsors who make the MLK Holiday DC Peace Walk and Parade possible. Consider joining the family.
PRESENTING SPONSORS
Entertainment & Parade SPONSORS
VENDOR AREA SPONSOR
HOPE & HEALTH SPONSORS
VOLUNTEER SPONSORS
LEGACY PARTNERS
FRIENDS OF THE MLK HOLIDAY DC COMMITTEE
SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS
- Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity
- Alliance of Concerned Men
- American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia (ACLU-DC)
- American Classic Women
- Anacostia Coordinating Council
- Angel Lost – The Relisha Rudd Group
- Appeal nc.
- Black Youth Project 100 DC
- Brand U Inc.
- Children of the Light
- DC Black HistoryCelebration Committee
- DC Cameo Club (Ms. Senior DC)
- DC Central Kitchen
- DC Democratic Women’s Club
- DC Latino Caucus
- DC Latino Leadership Council
- DC Martin Luther King Commission
- District of Columbia Fire and EMS
- Family & Friends of Incarceration People (FFOIP)
- Health Alliance Network
- Islamic Heritage Museum
- Martha’s Table
- Mayor Barry Youth Leadership Institute
- Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services
- Mayor’s Office of Religious Affairs
- Mayor’s Youth Leadership Institute Alumni Association
- Momma’s Safe Haven
- National Black United Front
- Not in My Community
- Parents Anonymous, Inc.
- Peacebuilding Connections
- Photography by Maurice Fitzgerald
- Potomac Job Corp
- Progressive Firefighters Association
- Project Create
- Representative Franklin Garcia
- Returning Citizens United
- Stand Up! for Democracy in DC (Free DC)
- Senior Citizens MATTER
- Stop Police Terror Project DC
- Total Sunshine, Inc.
- The 100 Fathers, Inc.
- The D.C. Children’s Trust Fund
- The Village Decoder
- United Black Fund
- Ward 8 Democrats
- Ward 8 Family Strengthening Collaborative
- Ward 8 Woods
- Washington Informer
- Washington Informer Charities
- Wednesday Clergy Fellowship
- WJLA 24/7
