Mlk Day 2026

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the City of Somerville is hosting a MLK Day celebration on Saturday, January 17, at Somerville High School. The event will feature intergenerational programming, performances, educational activities, and community engagement opportunities that reflect Dr. King’s legacy of justice, service, and collective action. The celebration is designed for all ages and will include youth and adult speakers, artistic performances, community tabling, and the recognition of student essay contest winners. Dr. James “Jimmy” McCarty will be delivering a keynote talk focused on the life and legacy of Dr. King. The rain date for this event is Sunday, January 18. The event will be held at Somerville High School from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in the event of a rain date change.Sponsored by the Human Rights Commission (HRC), high school youth from the City are being invited to participate in the MLK Youth Essay Contest. Students will have the opportunity to write a 250-word essay about the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. They will be asked to respond to one of the pre-selected prompts. Two winners will be selected by the HRC and announced at the City of Somerville’s MLK Day Event. Winners will receive free tuition for an online human rights course that will offer professional development opportunities for future opportunities, such as college applications, jobs, etc. More information about the essay contest is available online. The deadline to submit essays is Tuesday, January 13th at 5 p.m. More Info below.