MIT MLK Celebration

Every February, the MIT community gathers to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Institute began its annual celebration of Dr. King in 1975 with memorial activities and lectures by prominent speakers. The following year, Martin Luther King Day was designated an Institute holiday, a decade before it was observed as a federal holiday.

Hosted by the president of MIT, each year’s celebration features remarks from Institute leadership as well as student and staff speakers. In keeping with Dr. King’s dual emphasis on global and local issues, the keynote speaker is a leader in society or the local community who exemplifies Dr. King’s values. Notably, in 1994, Coretta Scott King delivered the keynote address.