By: Lena Pearson

WSSU and Wake Forest University host MLK Day Read-In. Photo Credit: Winston-Salem State University

Observed as a federal holiday on the third Monday of January each year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK Day) serves to commemorate the legacy of Dr. King, the Baptist minister and activist who advocated for racial equality through nonviolent protest during the American Civil Rights Movement. This year, MLK Day falls on Monday, Jan. 19, on which most K-12 schools, universities, and some businesses are closed in observance of the holiday. Despite MLK Day only formally being recognized on one day of the year, many local groups and organizations in the Piedmont Triad have continued the celebration of Dr. King’s long-lasting legacy by hosting events all throughout the end of January. 

Hosted by the city’s oldest community newspaper on Jan. 19, the Winston-Salem Chronicle held a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast in honor of the activist. This event was held with the intention of recognizing Dr. King’s historical impact by encouraging discussion, connection, and the promotion of equality in communities near and far. Located at the Benton Convention Center, the event also included breakfast and a speech from retired Winston-Salem State University Professor Larry D. Little, JD as the keynote speaker. According to a 2026 Eventbrite post by the Winston-Salem Chronicle, the prayer breakfast was held as a reminder for attendees to “Start your day on a positive note and honor the remarkable impact of Dr. King’s work. Remember, it’s a day on, not a day off!” 

Local academic institutions also made an effort to connect the community through Dr. King’s message, notably with the annual Read-In event hosted by Wake Forest University and Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) in collaboration with the non-profit organization HandsOn Northwest North Carolina. This event, held on Jan. 24, took place on WSSU’s campus as an opportunity for adult volunteers to spread Dr. King’s message of strengthening community by connecting with elementary-aged children through education. Each elementary student was paired up with a reading buddy who guided them through various stations and activities, including reading books about Dr. King’s leadership in the Civil Rights Movement. At the end of the event, each child was provided with their own civil rights-themed books to keep for themselves.

Beyond Winston-Salem, the broader Piedmont Triad also hosted many family-friendly events to commemorate Dr. King and his message. Both the cities of High Point and Greensboro put on MLK Day parades, with each event inviting members of the community to get together in remembrance of the activist. These parades, held on Jan. 18-19, included marching bands, floats, and local participants who marched with unity, peacefully advocating for justice and equality in honor of Dr. King. 

Among other cities, such as Lexington, Kernersville, Charlotte, and Burlington, various worship services, community celebrations, and festivals took place to promote the same sense of a just and equal community that Dr. King advocated for. Although MLK Day is only federally observed on one day of the year, North Carolina communities ensured that Dr. King’s legacy would live on throughout the entire month of January and beyond.