Children ride on a float in January 2024 during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Longview. (Jordan Green/Longview News-Journal File Photo)

Martin Luther King Jr. Day events are scheduled Jan. 17 to 20 in Longview and Tyler, including a concert, community festivals, a parade and march.

Tyler

The annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Dr. Coretta Scott King’s Day Celebration is scheduled 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 18 at the Texas African American Museum, 309 W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

The free festival includes food and entertainment with Sheila and Jerry Johnson, aka “The Johnson Duo,” as event hosts. The Tyler-ISD Caldwell Arts Academy Drumline also is set to perform.

“It’s an event that brings together families, neighbors, and local leaders to honor the legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Dr. Coretta Scott King through meaningful celebration and community spirit,” according to the Texas African American Museum.

The event also will serve as a fundraiser to raise $1,000 to build a water well in South Sudan.

“This effort is particularly important, as South Sudan faces a severe water crisis, with many communities lacking access to clean drinking water,” according to the museum. “The water well initiative will not only provide much-needed clean water but will also have a profound impact on improving health, education, and economic opportunities in the region.”

Community leaders also will be honored during the Jan. 18 event: Dr. Carolyn Harvey for her work in fighting cancer; Mayor Greg Davis of Moore Station; Nansi Jaimes for empowering women in business and community leadership; Casey Muze, a mental health expert who uses drumming for therapeutic healing; and Antwanise Jackson, who has helped build the community through special events and business endeavors.

For information, find the Texas African American Museum on Facebook.

Also, the Tyler Together Race Relations group will host its annual Martin Luther King Jr. march at 9 a.m. Jan. 20. The march will begin at the Tyler Public Library and end at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception.

Dr. Mary Breaux Wright, keynote speaker, will deliver a message inside the cathedral following the march.

Longview

Activities are organized by the Office of Arts and Culture in collaboration with various city departments and community partners such as Arts!Longview, Longview Ministerial Alliance, Christus Good Shepherd, Partners in Prevention, Unity and Diversity Committee, and others.

Jan. 17: An opening reception is set at 6 p.m., while a jazz concert is scheduled at 7 p.m. at Longview Community Center, 500 E. Whaley St. The featured artist is Low D ft. Victoria Hernandez. The event is free and open to the public.

Jan. 18: The annual MLK Day parade is set to begin at 10 a.m. on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The route will be along MLK Boulevard and starts at Pittman Street and concludes at Broughton Recreation Center. Parade entries have closed.

A community festival is set 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Broughton Recreation Center, 801 MLK Jr. Blvd. The festival will include vendors, food and children’s activities. It is free and open to the public.

And the annual Humanitarian Award Celebration is set at 6:30 p.m. at Parkview Baptist Church, 2014 S. Green St. The event also is free and open to the public.

Jan. 20: The annual MLK Day march is set to begin at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 20 from Broughton Recreation Center and conclude at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 306 S. MLK Jr. Blvd.

The march is free with no registration required.

And the annual Interfaith Service will begin immediately after the march at Mt. Olive Baptist Church.