See the events in the Canton area to honor the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.

On By Littum

The holiday of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which this year was held on January 20, honors the civil rights leader, who was born on January 15, 1929.

The holiday is always held on the third Monday in January. There are several events taking place around Canton:

The Greater Canton Martin Luther King Jr. Commission will host the 32nd annual MLK Jr. Mayors’ Breakfast from 7:45 to 10 a.m. Jan. 16 at the DoubleTree by Hilton, 320 Market Ave. S, Canton, to celebrate the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Tickets for the personal event are sold out. Virtual tickets to watch the event via live stream are available for $25 at https://tinyurl.com/2npkt3z6 .

Temple Israel432 30th St. NW, Canton, will have its 38th annual Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Shabbat service at 18.15 17 January. Refreshments will be available at 5:30 p.m. Rev. Robin Woodberry, Priest-in-Charge, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, will speak on “Confronting the Spiritual Plague of Gun Violence.” A reception will follow. Everyone is welcome. To RSVP, visit For more information, call Temple Israel at 330-455-5197 or email [email protected].

The McKinley Presidential Library and Museum800 McKinley Monument Drive, Canton, will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on January 20 and will feature a presentation on the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s journey through Ohio, including the places he visited and his tribute from Oberlin College.

The 50th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community party “We’re Not Going Back – The Struggle Continues,” sponsored by the Leila Green Alliance of Black School Educators, will be at noon Jan. 20 at the Edward “Peel” Coleman Center, 1400 Sherrick Road SE, Canton. Rev. Vince Watts of the First Church of God in Christ will be the keynote speaker. The program is free and everyone is welcome. The doors open at 10:30 a.m. to browse entrepreneurs’ exhibits and tables. The Community Choir, directed by Brandon Dunivant, Mount Zion Church of God in Christ, will perform. Honorees are Dr. Latoya N. Dickens-Jones of My Community Health Center; Joseph French, president of Stark County Catholic Schools; Yvonne M. Parks, president of the Leila Green Alliance of Black School Educators; D’Juana Philpott of the Stark County District Library; and Dr. LaTrice D. Snodgrass of Beacon Charitable Pharmacy. For more information, contact Chairwoman Stephanie Rushin Patrick at 330-495-2658.

Stark State College6200 Frank Ave. NW, Jackson Township, will host a celebration with guest speaker Kemp A. Boyd, executive director of Love Akron and football coach at Garfield High School, at 6 p.m. 11:30 on 22 January in M100 in the Business and Entrepreneur Center. Boyd will present “Modeling Restoration: Building Dr. King’s Beloved Community.” The public is welcome. For more information or to register for the event, contact [email protected].