When you think of Martin Luther King, Jr., you might first call to mind the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott or his 1963 March on Washington — but he was no stranger to the Triangle. Between 1956 and 1964, the Civil Rights leader visited several times + gave six different speeches in Durham alone.
Tomorrow, the Museum of Durham History will open its newest exhibit, “A Creative Protest: MLK Comes to Durham,” which runs through Sunday, April 5. The exhibit will feature stories from local residents and reflections on their relationships and interactions with MLK. Save the date: the opening reception for the exhibit will be held Friday, January 17 from 6-8 p.m. and is free to the public, including light refreshments.
In honor of next week’s holiday celebrating Dr. King’s legacy — MLK Day is observed annually on the third Monday in January — we’re taking a look at all of his major visits and historical connections to our state. Did we miss something big? Be sure to email us + let us know.
Timeline
- 1956 — MLK visits Durham for the first time to address the organization which then served as the black chamber of commerce.
- 1960 — Following the first sit-ins in Greensboro, Dr. King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference held a conference at Shaw University in Raleigh, where they urged local leaders to engage in non-violent methods of protest.
- 1962 — An early version of MLK’s famous “I Have A Dream Speech” was delivered at a high school in Rocky Mount. A recording of the speech was discovered in 2015 and restored by W. Jason Miller, a professor of English at N.C. State. Click this link to hear a clip.
- 1964 — After winning the Nobel Peace Prize, Dr. King spoke to the Southern Political Science Association at the Jack Tar Motel (now the Unscripted hotel) in Durham. The same week, he also spoke at Duke + addressed 5,000 people at North Carolina Central University.
- 1966 — Dr. King spoke at the Reynolds Coliseum at N.C. State, where he encouraged African Americans to vote and continue non-violent protests.
- 1968 — MLK was scheduled for an appearance in Durham on April 4, but cancelled the speech to be in Memphis, Tennessee where he was fatally shot.
Events
- MLK Day Youth-Led Event | Sat. Jan. 18 | 1-3 p.m. | Carrboro Century Center, 100 Greensboro St., | Free
- DreamFest | Sat. Jan. 18-Mon. Jan. 20 | multiple venues in Cary | Free+ | This three-day celebration includes staged readings, memorial + interfaith service.
- 40th Annual MLK Memorial March | Mon. Jan. 20 | 11 a.m. | N.C. State Capitol, 1 Edenton St., Raleigh | Free
- Dream Big Book Drive | Mon. Jan. 20 | 1-4 p.m. | Rhythms Live Music Hall, 2020 Chapel Hill Rd., Durham | Cost of donation | Activities also include live music + a food truck rodeo. Last year’s event collected 44,000 books.
- Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony | Mon. Jan. 20 | 3 p.m. | Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, 1120 Hillsborough Rd., Carrboro | Free
For even more celebrations around the Triangle, be sure to check out this complete list from Triangle on the Cheap.
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