From Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Please let us know!
In 2026, against the backdrop of a year-long sesquicentennial celebration, the United States will mark the 31st annual MLK Day of Service.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was born out of federal legislation jointly authored by Senator Harris Wofford of Pennsylvania and Representative John Lewis of Atlanta.
What started with 1,000 volunteers in Philadelphia in 1996 has grown to include hundreds of thousands of volunteers across the United States. Philadelphia remains home to what organizers call the nation’s largest MLK Day event.
See how the city celebrates the federal holiday this year.
How will Philadelphia celebrate MLK Day in 2026?
On Monday, January 19, Temple University will serve as a volunteer hub for the Philadelphia region for the first time in more than 15 years.
This year, Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Worship The theme is equity and addressing civil rights through education.
Philadelphia Mayor Sherrell Parker announced plans for the city’s MLK Day on Wednesday, along with event founder and director and nonprofit president Todd Bernstein. global citizen.
“We believe that quality education is a fundamental right to break the cycle of poverty and achieve social change,” Dr. King said. Bernstein warned that while the country has made progress, inequalities and barriers remain, citing the federal government’s efforts to erase the history of “racism, slavery, Jim Crow, and the benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
Bernstein emphasized that MLK Day is “not just a birthday celebration,” but “an opportunity to make Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of social justice our mission.” And not just on MLK Day, he added, but every day, as King often said, “with the ‘fierce urgency of the moment.'”
To celebrate, Temple will host a variety of service projects including job fairs, health and wellness information sessions, and other family-friendly activities.
Opportunities on campus include year-round civic engagement workshops, a kids carnival with educational activities, a noon rally for peace and justice, and Reading Captain training as part of citywide early literacy initiatives.
Volunteers will also help assemble Book Arcs, which provide free books to underserved communities, as well as hygiene kits to people experiencing homelessness.
At 3 p.m., the Philadelphia Orchestra concludes the day with its annual MLK Day tribute concert, the first ever in Marian Anderson Hall at the Kimmel Center. If you are interested in participating, please Book your free ticket online.
The Kimmel Center will also be hosting a food drive in partnership with Philabundance. Residents are encouraged to donate non-perishable food to help neighbors suffering from food insecurity.