Here are events in the Triangle to honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy

News & Observer (Raleigh, NC)

Jan. 17--While Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday is Jan. 15, the holiday is celebrated nationally Monday, Jan. 21.

Here are some of the events around the Triangle taking place to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy.

Thursday, Jan. 17

Symone Sanders, a CNN commentator and former press secretary for Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign, is the speaker at NC State's MLK commemoration at 3:30 p.m. at the McKimmon Center. Sanders will give a talk titled, "MLK Jr.: The Realist." Free.

Friday, Jan. 18

-- Durham Wreath Laying Ceremony. The wreath laying ceremony will honor King at 12 noon at the CCB Plaza on 201 Corcoran St. http://www.durhammlkcommittee.org/

-- Wreath laying ceremony, 9 a.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Gardens, 1215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Raleigh. People are encouraged to pause from 9 to 11 a.m. and pray for the country and community. trianglemlk.com

-- Cary's Dreamfest Celebration kicks off with "Building the Dream, Affordable Housing in Wake County" at the Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Ave., at 9 a.m. Join as government leaders, builders and policymakers honor King's efforts in affordable housing by addressing the issues within the Triangle. Dreamfest details at townofcary.org.

Saturday, Jan. 19

-- Cary's Dreamfest is all day, starting with "Remembering Leaders of the Dream" from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Cary Arts Center. Award-winning storyteller Willa Brigham hosts a family-friendly program about the Civil War and heroes within American history. The film "Wilmington on Fire" is 2 to 4:30 p.m. is about the Wilmington Massacre of 1898, an attack on the African-American community, followed by an audience discussion from Director Christopher Everett. "Celebrating the Dream" from 8 to 10 p.m. celebrates King's legacy with song and music from the Pleasant Grove Church Gospel Choir, Winifred Garrett and the North Carolina Central University Vocal Jazz Ensemble.

-- Rev. Jimmie Hawkins, director of the Office of Public Witness for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is the keynote speaker at a celebration honoring King at the Garner Performing Arts Center, 742 W. Garner Road, Garner. The event, with a theme of "Dream, Believe and Achieve," is at 4 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 20

-- The final day of Cary's Dreamfest showcases "Al: My Brother," the documentary about white civil rights activists and Alan McSurely, an African-American attorney who had to battle racism for over 50 years in the workplace. Cash Michaels, the producer and writer of the documentary, will lead the audience in a discussion following the film. 2 to 4 p.m. at The Cary theater, 122 E. Chatham St., Cary.

-- Duke's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Week kicks off with Tarana Burke, an African-American civil rights activist who is the founder of the "Me Too" movement. She will deliver the keynote address at 3 p.m. at Duke University Chapel. Details are available at mlk.duke.edu.

-- UNC Diversity Programs hosts a screening and panel discussion of "The Unafraid" at the FedEx Global Education Center from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. diversity.unc.edu/programs/mlk.

-- Garner's annual MLK celebration at the Garner Performing Arts Center at 4 p.m. kicks off with keynote speaker Rev. Jimmie Hawkins, who is the director of the Office of Public Wellness for the Presbyterian Church. There will be performances following the speech by the Gifted Arts and the Creech Road Elementary School Chorus. garnernc.gov.

Monday, Jan. 21

-- The 39th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Triangle Interfaith Prayer Breakfast kicks off at 7 a.m. at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel & Convention Center, 4700 Emperor Blvd., Research Triangle Park, with keynote speaker David Crabtree. Breakfast is 6 to 8 a.m. http://www.durhammlkcommittee.org/

-- Raleigh's 39th annual MLK Memorial March departs from the State Capitol Building on the Edenton Street side at 11 a.m. (Lineup is at 10 a.m.) trianglemlk.com.

-- Durham's Unity March & Rally starts at 10:30 a.m. at the NC Mutual Life Insurance Company at 411 W. Chapel Hill St., and ends at the First Presbyterian Church, 305 E. Main St. Marchers are encouraged to bring children's books to the Book Harvest Dream Book Drive, which takes place following the march at Durham Central Park. http://www.durhammlkcommittee.org/

-- Martin Luther King Observation is at 12 noon at Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. South St. Free. trianglemlk.com/programs-events

-- The 39th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Evening Musical Celebration at the Duke Energy Center of the Performing Arts begins at 5:30 p.m. trianglemlk.com.

-- An MLK birthday party is at Northgate Mall's Center Court at 10 a.m. with a celebration on the main stage at 12 noon. Cake will be served at 12:30 p.m. The event is child friendly and includes free story time, crafts, performances and service projects. The mall is at 1058 West Club Blvd., Durham. Recommended entrances are 2, 4 and 10 at the theater wing. Hosted by MomsRising.org. facebook.com/MomsRising.org

-- "Maynard," a documentary film about Maynard Jackson, the first black mayor of Atlanta, will be screened at Durham Academy, 3601 Ridge Road, Durham, at 1 p.m. There will be a discussion after the film with executive producer Maynard Jackson III and Wendy Jackson and Dr. Kristen V. Bell, daughter of former Durham Mayor Bill Bell. Free and open to the public.

Tuesday, Jan. 22

-- Duke University's annual DCRI MLK Day Celebration is 1 to 2 p.m. at Duke Clinical Research Institute, 200 Morris St., Durham, with keynote speaker Pierce Freelon, director, professor, musician and Emmy Award-winning producer. The keynote is titled "Kings and Queens of the Movement." Details are available at mlk.duke.edu.

-- "He Was a Poem, He Was a Song," the annual program showcasing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through song, dance and spoken word, takes place at the Hitchcock Multipurpose Room at UNC's Stone Center at UNC at 5 p.m. diversity.unc.edu/programs/mlk.

Wednesday, Jan. 23

-- Tickets to activist Shaun King's speech at Duke University have been claimed. A live stream of the event will be on Duke's YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/IQG8dwk3CNo. mlk.duke.edu.

Thursday, Jan. 24

-- Rev. Jesse Jackson will give the keynote address at Shaw University's MLK Celebration at 11 a.m. at the C.C. Spaulding Gymnaisum at Shaw's campus. Jackson, founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, will honor King and the founding of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Free. shawu.edu/MLK-Day/

-- The 38th annual Martin Luther King Jr Keynote Lecture and Awards Ceremony is at Memorial Hall at UNC at 7:30 p.m. Ben Jealous, former president and CEO of the NAACP, will lead the lecture, which will be followed by presentations for the UNC MLK Student Scholarship and Unsung Heroes awards. Tickets are free but required. Tickets can be obtained from the Carolina Performing Arts/ Memorial Hall Box Office or online at diversity.unc.edu/programs/mlk.

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