Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Cleveland

Photo credit Rowland Scherman [Public domain]

In observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, all Cleveland Metropolitan Schools and facilities will be closed on Monday, January 20, 2020. Throughout Greater Cleveland, there are a variety of ways for students and families to extend classroom learning in honor of the national holiday commemorating the civil rights leader, including: The City of Cleveland and Cleveland Public Library’s 35th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Ceremony: Let Freedom Ring, Monday, January 20, 1:00-2:00 p.m., John Hay High School Auditorium. The capstone event of Cleveland Public Library’s 150th anniversary, the ceremony honors 150 Unsung Heroes of Cleveland who make a difference in their own neighborhoods, families, or libraries. Celebrate Drum Major for Change award winner Robert P. Madison. Keynote presentation by Akram Boutros, President, and CEO of MetroHealth. The Cleveland Orchestra: Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Open House, Monday, January 20, 12:00 - 5:00 p.m., Severance Hall. A day of music and community engagement, including performances by The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus. Throughout the day, fun activities include the “MLK I Have A Dream Wall,” MLK themed coloring pages, puzzles, and activity sheets, the Cuyahoga County Public Library Book Display, and dancing. City Year MLK Day of Service: City Year AmeriCorps members and community volunteers will come together at Franklin D. Roosevelt Academy for school beautification projects (murals, painting, organizing closets). and will also assist area non-profits on projects to benefit community youth–including children in foster care. Click here for more details or to register.Hear Our Voices: A Free MLK Day Celebration, Monday, January 20, 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage. Celebrate the life and legacy of the iconic civil rights activist during an all-day event, free and open to the public. Featuring three special programs, including a sermon by Cleveland’s own Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Jr. at 10:30 a.m., a performance by the Evelyn Wright Quartet at 1 p.m., and a documentary film screening of “Soundtrack for a Revolution: Freedom Songs from the Civil Rights Era” with talk-back by Kyle Kidd at 3 p.m.Cleveland Museum of Art: Martin Luther King Day Celebration, Monday, January 20, 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through art, dance, theater, spoken word, and music. Enjoy art activities led by guest artist Van Monroe, Family Art Stories, gospel and jazz music by Hubb’s Groove, and a Martin Luther King Jr & Black History Tribute featuring the young artists from the Cleveland Foundation’s Arts Mastery Initiative. Free admission is also available on January 20, 2020, to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Ice Fest at North Harbour and Great Lakes Science Center, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the Ice Rink at Wade Oval. Please visit each organization's event link above for additional details.