Mayor Michelle Wu Announces 2025 Day of Celebration in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Mayor Michelle Wu announced today, that in partnership with Boston University, the City of Boston will present "A Day of Celebration in Honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr" on Saturday, January 25 at 12:00 p.m. at Metcalf Hall on the second floor of the George Sherman Union at Boston University, located at 775 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston. The event will be live-streamed on https://www.bu.edu/thurman/programs/mlk-day-2025//, and air on Boston City TV, Comcast/Xfinity: channel 26, RCN: channel 13, and Fios: channel 962.

“As we reflect on Dr. King’s unwavering commitment to equity, justice, and unity, Boston lifts up our special connection to Dr. King and the tangible impact he left here with a legacy we continue to strive for. His dreams and values set the standard for building a city where every voice is heard and every community is empowered,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Thank you to Boston University for your partnership in celebrating the Kings’ legacy, honoring their impact, and allowing us to reaffirm our dedication to creating a more inclusive and prosperous city for all our residents.” 

This year’s program will include remarks from the President of Boston University Dr. Melissa L. Gilliam, and a keynote conversation with author and poet Cole Arthur Riley facilitated by Boston University’s Dr. Shively T.J. Smith, the director of the Doctor of Philosophy program at the School of Theology. Riley is the author of the New York Times bestsellers, This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us and Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human. Her writing has been featured in The Atlantic, Guernica, and The Washington Post. Cole is also the creator and writer of Black Liturgies, a project that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body. The program will also include readings from Boston residents attending Boston University and musical selections performed by the Hamilton-Garrett Youth Choir.  

“Martin Luther King, Jr. Is one of Boston University’s most esteemed alumni,” said Boston University President Melissa Gilliam. “Dr. King championed communities rooted in equity and belonging, where conflict is resolved peacefully, through dialogue and reconciliation. These ideals are ones that we aspire to emulate here at Boston University. We are honored to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy with the City of Boston, and we will continue to work closely with Mayor Wu and her office to help further his commitment to human dignity.”

In previous years, leaders such as Mayor Michelle Wu, U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley, Beverly Morgan-Welch, Sonia Sanchez, Dr. Alvin Poussaint, Ernest Green of the Little Rock Nine, Judy Richardson of Eyes on the Prize, and civil rights activist and filmmaker Topper Carew served as keynote speakers. Governor Deval Patrick, Chief Justice Roderick Ireland, Boston Poet Laureates Sam Cornish, Danielle Legros Georges, Porsha Olayiwola, and WGBH Radio host Eric Jackson are among those who have served as readers in previous years.