Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed annually on the third Monday in January to honor the life and legacy of the civil rights leader. In Chattanooga, observance of the holiday includes not just a day off from work and school but also service projects, a parade and more. The Unity Group of Chattanooga is sponsoring or cosponsoring several events; for more information on these events, visit unitygroupchatt.com/events. Otherwise, here is the chronology for the holiday.
Jan. 6
— The Book and Cover and the Unity Group will host a book drive at 10:30 a.m. at the bookstore, 1310 Hanover St.
Jan. 7
— Education author and historian Diane Ravitch of the Network for Public Education will be a featured presenter at a virtual event, entitled "Preserving Public Education and School Privatization in Tennessee," at 6 p.m.
Jan. 8
— Sekou Franklin of Middle Tennessee State University will present at a virtual event, entitled "A Focus on Voting 2024," at 7 p.m.
Jan. 9
— Chattanooga-Hamilton County NAACP will present a virtual event, entitled "Healthcare is a Right — Not a Privilege: Insurance Medicare/Medicaid," at 7 p.m.
Jan. 10
— Rebecca Mott, TVA manager of technical training and emerging technologies, will present at a virtual event, entitled "Bridging the Digital Divide through Equity and Inclusion: A.I. and Emergent Technologies," at 6 p.m.
Jan. 11
— The Community Haven will host "The Rebirth of Black Neighborhoods: How to Make Them a Decent Place to Live" at 7 p.m. at the nonprofit, 815 N. Hickory St.
Jan. 12
— Concerned Citizens for Justice will host "Beyond Walls: Stories of Abolition," a film screening and community discussion, at 6:30 p.m. at the downtown branch of the Chattanooga Public Library, 1001 Broad St. Learn more on the group's Facebook page.
Jan. 13
— The Unity Group will host its annual prayer breakfast at 9 a.m. at Greater Tucker Baptist Church, 1115 N. Moore Road. The Rev. Rodney Todd Morton, pastor-elect of Orchard Knob Missionary Baptist Church, will be the featured speaker. General admission costs $35. Learn more on the Unity Group's Facebook and Eventbrite pages.
Jan. 14
— Gospel Music Extravaganza will be at 4 p.m. at Bethel A.M.E. Church, 2000 Walker St.
Jan. 15
— City of Chattanooga and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will host a kickoff party for its annual day of service at 8 a.m. at the university's Maclellan Gym, 600 Douglas St. At 9 a.m., following the kickoff, volunteers will go out into the community to work on service projects. Volunteers are encouraged to gather in Miller Park after to participate in the Unity Group's Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade. Register a service project or sign up to volunteer at cha.city/mlk.
— African American Cemetery Preservation Fund and Hurst United Methodist Church will host a historical marker unveiling at 11 a.m. at Beck Knob Cemetery, 829 Dallas Road. Learn more at aacpf.org and hurstumc.org.
— 54th Annual Memorial March and Parade will begin at 1 p.m. on Georgia Avenue. Lineup begins at 12:30 p.m., and the parade will end at Olivet Baptist Church, 740 E. M.L. King Blvd.
— Olivet Baptist Church will host the main program for the holiday at 2 p.m. at the church, 740 E. M.L. King Blvd. Pastor Breonus M. Mitchell Sr. of Mount Gilead Missionary Baptist Church in Hermitage, Tennessee, will be the featured speaker.
Jan. 19
— UTC's Office of Multicultural Affairs will host a conversation event with Bernice King, minister, attorney and daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., and Ilyasah Shabazz, author, educator, producer and daughter of civil rights leader Malcolm X, at 12:15 p.m. at the Walker Theatre, 399 McCallie Ave. All attendees are required to RSVP for the event. Find more information, including links for registration, on the office's page at utc.edu.
Contact Sam Still at sstill@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6579.