By George Kevin Jordan

D.C. Public Libraries have a week full of events and resources for every ages in celebration of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. Week is January 13-20, and libraries all across the District have events slated.

King was arguably one of the most famous civil rights leader in America and the world. Born in Atlanta, GA, he used his intellect, wit and oratory skill to push for equality for Blacks in the 50s and 60s.

Just a few of his noteworthy moments include his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. President Ronald Reagan signed a bill to make MLK Jr. Day a federal holiday in 1983. As a result the United States now commemorates the day annually every third Monday in January.

Here are some of the highlighted D.C. Public Library events:

Tuesday, Jan. 15

Martin Luther King Birthday Story Time

11:15 a.m. at the Takoma Park Library, 416 Cedar St. N.W., Washington,  D.C.  20012

This story time event is designed for children 3-5, and runs about 30-40 minutes. Kids and adults will participate in reading and learning activities to help develop a love for learning.

Later that evening it’s a night of films as the Georgetown Library, 3260 R St. N.W.

Washington,  D.C.  20007, presents “Citizen King” a PBS documentary about the last five years of Dr. King’s beginning at 6 p.m.

Over at Tenley-Friendship Library, 4450 Wisconsin Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C.  20016, there will be a screening of Ava DuVernay’s biopic film about King “Selma.” This film also begins at 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 16

The Cleveland Park Library will host “The March on Washington: A discussion with Jamie Stiehm and Clarence Page” at 7 p.m. 3310 Connecticut Ave. N.W. Washington,  D.C.  20008. Page is a Pulitzer Prize winning columnist for the Chicago Tribune, and Stiehm is a writer for the Creator’s Syndicate. Both will discuss the day when Dr. King Jr. gave his most famous speech.

Saturday, Jan. 19

Author Paula Young Shelton, daughter of civil rights leader Andrew Young, will read from her children’s book “Child of the Civil Rights Movement” at 12 p.m. Saturday at the Northeast Library, 330 7th St. NE, Washington,  D.C.  20002. Shelton will talk about her time growing up around civil rights leaders. She is currently the writer in residence at Georgetown Day School.

Along with a host of events, D.C. Public Library has a slew of books to recommend on Dr. King’s life and the Civil Rights Movement including: “The Autobiography of Martin Luther King,” by King himself, “The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin, and “The King Years: Historic Moments in the Civil Rights Movement” by Taylor Branch. All are available for checkout at on the library branches.

D.C. Libraries also has a Black Studies Center, The African American Studies Center, and access to four African American newspaper databases including the Baltimore Afro-American.

For a full calendar of events please go to www.DCLibrary.org. All events are free and open to the public.

This article originally appeared in The Afro. 

Stephanie Cornish

Posts by Stephanie Cornish