Martin Luther King Jr.

Kate Cubeta's essay offers further details >>

Watch program on YouTube >>

UPDATED, Jan. 28: The 33rd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Observance was held Monday, Jan. 18, and there have been activities to involve the public leading up to that date. See details below.

Rasidents of Arlington and greater Boston celebrated in a program beginning at 7:30 p.m. 

Anyone who cannot attend but would like to make a tax-exempt gift, may send a check to this committee, P.O. Box 320, Arlington, MA 02476. Arlington Town Hall is handicap-accessible and centrally situated at 730 Mass. Ave.

Crystal Haynes, a member of the Human Rights Commission, wrote to social media Jan. 6:

Join the Arlington Human Rights Commission and the Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Observance Committee in a week of service to honor the legacy of Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Participation in the MLK Day of Service has grown steadily over the past decade, with hundreds of thousands of Americans each year engaging in projects such as tutoring and mentoring children, painting schools and senior centers, delivering meals, building homes, and reflecting on Dr. King's life and teachings..

Many of the projects started on King Day continue to engage volunteers beyond the holiday and impact the community year-round.

Because of Covid-19 concerns, those involved are getting creative.

To participate, pick one or more activities from the list below and post a picture of your action, artwork, etc., to our social media platforms with the hashtag: #alringtonweekofservice.

Our platforms’ addresses are:

Instagram @ArlingtonHumanRights

Facebook @ArlHumanRights

Twitter @ArlHumanRights.

 Not on social media? Email your pictures or submissions us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Activities include: 

● READ ABOUT RACE

Choose an age appropriate book on your own or from our curated list on

arlingtonhumanrights.org.

● DONATE FOOD (Safely!)

Drop of food items to Arlington EATS at Saint John's Church, 74 Pleasant St.

● GET CREATIVE

Create a draw, paint, make a video, write about Dr. King's legacy and what it means to the civil rights work being done today.

At the conclusion of the week of service, the Arlington Human Rights Commission will hold a virtual webinar: "Difficult Conversations Around Race: Building Lasting Community Connections. "

Please stay tuned to arlingtonhumanrights.org or arlingtonma.gov  

This news announcement was published Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, and updated Jan. 28, to add YouTube link.