This year, Kensington Soccer Club invites the KSC community to honor MLK Day by actively participating in service projects throughout the city. Countless opportunities are available, offering something meaningful for everyone to participate in and make a difference.
The Philadelphia Tribune has compiled this comprehensive list below.
You can also explore other service opportunities through the following links:
Finally, Global Citizen provides a platform to search for service opportunities across the city tailored to your interests, including issue areas, preferred schedules, and activity types. Explore options by visiting this link.
List of events taking place Saturday:
The Museum of the American Revolution
Date: Jan. 18-20
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: 101 S. 3rd St.
For this year’s annual MLK day event, the museum will have a daily theatrical show about Elizabeth Freeman, who successfully sued for freedom from enslavement. The museum will also have daily pop-up talks on Phillis Wheatley and a Sunday meet the Revolution talk with historian Leslie Bramlet.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Weekend
Date: Jan. 18-20
Time: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Betsy Ross House, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. at Franklin Square
Location: Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch St. or Franklin Square, 200 N. 6th St.
Bring new scarves, hats and gloves for donation to Bethesda Project, a nonprofit organization that provides shelter, housing and supportive services to adults experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia. Get one free Parx Liberty Carousel ride or free admission to the Betsy Ross House per person with each donation. Donations can be dropped off at Franklin Square or Betsy Ross House.
Eastern State Penitentiary
Date: Jan. 18-20
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: 2027 Fairmount Ave.
This program will explore the impact of Rev. Martin Luther King’s writings including his “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Visitors will also engage in discussions and activities that analyze how King and other civil rights leaders used written and spoken word to inspire action and challenge oppression.
African American Museum in Philadelphia
Date: Jan. 19-20
Location: 701 Arch St.
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Ahead of MLK Day the museum will host a brunch to celebrate the legacy of the Black Panthers. On Monday, the museum will offer free admission and programming. The Phillie Phanatic will make a guest appearance. The day will also feature live music, collage-making with Shaheed Rucker and an interactive real-world budget literacy game to teach participants about finance.
Sunday:
Germantown United CDC
Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: 5700 Greene St.
Join volunteers as they will be cleaning up the area and helping put together garden beds that will enhance the community for local residents, commuters, shoppers and businesses.
Monday:
MLK Day Family Experience
Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: Race Street Friends Meetinghouse, 1520 Cherry St.
This event will start with a keynote from activist Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber followed by activities segmented into author Bill Moyer and George Lakey’s four roles of social change: advocate, helper, organizer and rebel. The program will also feature activities for kids and adults.
YouthBuild Philly Charter School
Time: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location: Richard R. Wright Elementary School, 2201 N. 28th St.
YouthBuild Philly Charter School will join forces with Richard R. Wright Elementary School for this year’s annual MLK day of service event. Students, staff, partners and 100 volunteers will collaborate on several beatification projects including painting, trash removal and repairing the school’s common areas.
National Constitution Center
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: 525 Arch St.
To celebrate MLK Day, the Constitution Center will have free admission and extended hours. Programming will feature a special exhibit entitled Artifact Spotlight: March on Washington Pennant, which reflects on the First Amendment aside the 1963 March on Washington; and a live screening of the Presidential Inauguration with a concurrent reading of King’s I Have a Dream speech.
Please Touch Museum
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: 4231 Avenue of the Republic
For the holiday, guests can join a series of MLK Day events including Patchwork of Dreams with Amir Campbell where kids design quilt squares celebrating personal aspirations and values. The event will also feature interactive story time with Queen Nur and musical performances.
Woodmere Art Museum
Time: 12 to 3 p.m.
Location: 9201 Germantown Ave.
Join the art museum for an interactive performance of storytelling, music and play with Thembi Palmer to honor Rev. King’s life of service.
Temple University
Time: 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Location: Tuttleman Learning Center, 1809 N. 13th St.
This brunch features dialogues and activities honoring the work of Rev. King while exploring the ways everyday citizens can continue supporting his legacy through activism and social justice.
Johnson House Historic Site
Time: 2 to 4 p.m.
Location: Germantown Mennonite Church, 21 W. Washington Lane
This event will celebrate the achievements of late trailblazing education advocate Constance Clayton with a discussion led by Fasaha Traylor, author of They Carried Us, who will also read from her book. The event will also feature snacks and spiritual performances from The Voice of Philadelphia.
Girard College Chapel
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: 2101 S. College Ave.
The Philadelphia Orchestra will be joined by choirs from the Girard College High School and the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts for the 35th annual Martin Luther King Jr. tribute concert. The show is first-come, first-served general admission via free reserved tickets.