The New Orleans Public Library is honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with “Remember! Celebrate! Act!”, a virtual celebration on Thursday, January 14, and Friday, January 15.

Organized by the Library’s African American Resource Collection and Equity and Inclusion Librarian, Shukrani Gray, this event is aimed at teaching participants about Dr. King’s work as a social justice activist, as well as educating attendees about how they, too, can get involved in social justice activism.

The event will be presented in two parts over the course of two days and will feature speakers and presentations by local artists and local organizations that provide social justice opportunities to young people.

“This year we remember, celebrate, and act in recognition of Dr. King’s work in the civil rights movement of the 1960s and the salient works of local organizations, past and present, in the movement for social justice,” Gray said. “As always, this program is an educational and uplifting one, and while we cannot have students and teachers in the room with us, we hope they find value in the virtual format and are able to use it as an activity for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on January 18th and for Black History Month.”

“Remember! Celebrate! Act! Part 1” will go live on the Library’s website at 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 14. Part 2 will go live on the Library’s website at 10 a.m. on Friday, January 15. Both events will also be posted on the African American Resource Collection Facebook page.

This innovative program will highlight Bryan Lee, founder of Colloqate Designs, Sophia Rabinovitz, artistic director of Artivism Dance, and Nicole Deggins from Sista Midwife Productions and their work as advocates for social justice, and will feature local artists Sunni Patterson, Casme, Rahim, Cassie Watson, T-Ray the Violinist, and DJ Chinua.

This program is sponsored in part by the Louisiana Endowment of the Humanities and the Friends of New Orleans Public Library.