List of Beaufort County events in honor of MLK Jr’s birthday
Established as a national holiday in 1983 by former President Ronald Reagan, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday has evolved over the years. It has been transformed from a holiday honoring a man who fought for peace and justice to a national day of service.
Here are a select list of events occurring in Lowcountry honoring the life and legacy of Dr. King:
- With the theme, “advocating the Alpha spirit,” the Beaufort County chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha will host a Unity breakfast on Saturday, Jan. 13, at the Marine Corp Air Station (Merritt Field) Officers Club in Beaufort. Dr. King was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha and pledged as an undergraduate at Morehouse College. For more information call 843-812-5484, or 843-263-2006
- The Beaufort County Ministerial Alliance annual MLK celebration includes a parade and a commemorative service, both on Monday, Jan. 15. For more information, call 843-812-5978, or 843-812-1513.
The National Park Service invites the public to participate in a defining moment in volunteerism, by volunteering on a trail cleanup project along the Capers Creek Nature Trail in the historic Penn Center National Historic Landmark District on St. Helena Island. For more information visit https://go.nps.gov/REERMLK2024
- The Bluffton MLK Observance Committee is set to offer a combination of events Jan. 12 through Jan. 15. It begins Friday with their 38th Annual MLK Banquet. A soul-stirring, hand clapping, foot-stomping Old School Gospel Camp meeting featuring musicians, choirs, quartets and vocalists from the community is scheduled for Saturday. Monday’s events include a memorial program, a march and a unity picnic. For more information, email blufftonmlk@yahoo.com, or call, 843-338-3533
- The Hilton Head MLK Committee will host a series of events Jan. 11 through Jan 27. On Thursday, there is an Ecumenical/Interfaith Service, at the Queen Chapel AME Church, and a Shabbat service on Friday at the Congregation Beth Yam. The MLK Community Service Project Cleanup of Historic Gullah Cemeteries is on Saturday morning. Other events include a march, a memorial program, a luncheon and a children’s fun day. For details, email: hiltonheadmlk@gmail.com.
- The Hampton County Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Steering Committee will hold their annual parade on Saturday, Jan. 13, and three nights of revival services. Things will culminate on Saturday, Jan. 20, at the Annual Scholarship ball at the National Guard Armory in Varnville. For more details, email: hcdrkingjrsteeringcom@gmail.com
This story was originally published January 11, 2024 at 11:36 AM.