Tag Archives: mlk day

‘Where Do We Go From Here?’ the theme of 2026 MLK Day in Seattle

Posted on by
Reply

Seattle MLK Day organizers have turned to the writings of Martin Luther King Jr. for the message behind this year’s workshops, rally, and march from Garfield High School.

From the volunteer-run MLK Jr Organizing Coalition:

This powerful question comes from Dr. King’s 1967 book Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?. In it, he warned that America stood at a dangerous crossroads—facing deep racism, poverty, militarism, and division. He challenged us to decide: would we descend into chaos, or would we build a community grounded in justice, democracy, and love? Nearly six decades later, we face a strikingly similar crossroads. Democracy itself is under attack—from voter suppression and political violence to laws rolling back hard-won rights. And even Dr. King’s own legacy is under attack, with his words often misused to silence the very struggles he gave his life to advance. That is why this year’s theme is so urgent. “Where do we go from here?” is not just history—it’s a question for us, right now.

The group’s 43rd annual celebration begins Saturday with a youth forum at Washington Hall followed by an opportunity fair and workshops Monday morning at Garfield High School before a 11 AM rally in the school’s gym and a march set to begin at 12:30 PM from the Garfield parking lot.

Around 4,000 people took part in the event last year.

Learn more at seattlemlkcoalition.org.

 

$5 A MONTH TO HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE

Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you. Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for $5 a month -- or choose your level of support 🖤 

 
 

CHS Pics | The messages of Seattle’s MLK Day march as Trump’s second term begins

Posted on by

Thousands gathered at the Central District’s Garfield High School Monday to remember Martin Luther King Jr. and march against efforts to undermine his legacy and roll back progress around equity and civil rights.

The march on the crisp January day was part of a weekend of quiet protest in Seattle. Saturday, thousands took part in the city’s People’s March from Cal Anderson Park with signs and chants pledging resistance as Donald Trump begins his improbable second term in the White House. Continue reading →

‘We Rise Against Project 2025’ — MLK Day march part of weekend of rallies and protest in Seattle

Posted on by

Monday is Inauguration Day in Washington D.C. — In the Central District, the day brings the MLK Day rally and march to Garfield High School. Organizers of the annual event to honor the life of the civil rights leader are fully embracing the contrast.

This year’s event from the volunteer-run MLK Jr Organizing Coalition is focused on the inauguration in D.C. with workshops and speakers addressing what is at risk. Continue reading →

‘Let freedom ring,’ calls for ceasefire in Gaza part of Seattle’s 2024 MLK Day march

Posted on by

The annual MLK Day march from Garfield High School stretched across blocks of the Central District Monday even as Seattle temperatures continued below freezing. In 2024, cries for ceasefire in Gaza echoed along the route as a Palestinian flag flew among signs and banners from the labor and community groups part of the day’s activities. Continue reading →

CHS Pics | 40 years of MLK Day celebration in Martin Luther King County

Posted on by

Seattle celebrated MLK Day 2023 with a day of education, rallying, and marching centered around the city’s Central District in a milestone anniversary of the annual events marking the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., born January 15th, 1929.

The Seattle Martin Luther King Organizing Coalition said Monday marked 40 years of the annual celebration and remembrances as a countywide event.

“The first forty years were but the beginning,” the coalition’s statement on the 2023 event read. “Seattle’s annual MLK celebration aims to inspire this and future generations to live up to Dr. King’s dream of achieving the Beloved Community.” Continue reading →

MLK Day 2023 in Seattle includes march from Garfield High School and Seattle Colleges celebration

Posted on by

While some celebrations will remain muted the annual Seattle MLK Day march from Garfield High School will again bring workshops and gatherings to the campus and a demonstration that will cross from the Central District to downtown on Monday’s holiday.

CHS reported here on the 2022 march as the event recovered from pandemic restrictions.

The Seattle MLK Jr. Coalition nonprofit group is again planning a full weekend of activities at seattlemlkcoalition.org: Continue reading →

In response to debates over critical race theory, Seattle march for MLK Day 2022 will support education and counter misinformation

Posted on by

Marchers in 2021

One of the largest celebrations of Martin Luther King Jr. in Martin Luther King County will take place with an emphasis on safety and community at the Central District’s Garfield High School.

Over the weekend, the Seattle MLK Jr. Coalition will host a variety of virtual events plus a rally and march on Monday starting at 23rd Ave’s Garfield High School. The MLK Jr. Coalition seeks to celebrate the legacy of MLK Jr. as well as unite Seattle and King County communities.

“Every year we pick a theme, this year it was truth and education now,” vice chair of the MLK Jr. Coalition Bobby Alexander said. “Before I graduated law school, I was always frustrated that race was not a part of our legal analysis because race has such a profound impact on law. To hear a bunch of non-lawyers essentially arguing about whether it’s relevant in general education, it was infuriating to me.” Continue reading →

Safe and masked, ‘Good Trouble, Necessary Trouble’ 2021 Seattle MLK Day march will step off Monday from the Central District

Posted on by

Last year, before things changed, Seattle marched for MLK Day with a stop to protest the new youth jail facility at 12th and Alder. The upgraded, $200 million-plus facility debuted its new buildings a month later and remained a target of unrest through the summer’s Black Lives Matter protests.

With social distancing and masks, the 2021 Seattle MLK Day march will again take place starting with a rally at 23rd Ave’s Garfield High before a march through the Central District and Capitol Hill to downtown:

Every year, we do what we can to tell our civic leaders that Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream is alive and well.

Continue reading →