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Celebrating the life and legacy

Annual MLK Commemoration

The Northwestern University community celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. each year with an expanded special commemoration, including events and projects throughout the month to inspire reflection on Dr. King's life and legacy. Explore this website to learn more about the history of this annual commemoration, as well as more details on Evanston and Chicago campus programming.

Livestream of 2026 Keynote Panel

The livestream will begin on Tuesday, January 20 at 4:59 p.m. CST. If you do not see the live stream by 5:00 p.m., please refresh your browser.

View the commemoration keynote program and speaker bios.

If you experience issues with the primary stream, please try the alternate stream here.

MLK Commemoration 2026 Keynote Panel: Our Beloved Community

The MLK Commemoration 2026 Keynote will feature a panel of experts comprised of Northwestern faculty and community leaders. The panel will be moderated by Sylvester Johnson (Chair and Professor of Black Studies, Northwestern University), in conversation with Leslie Harris (Professor of History, Northwestern University), Kate Masur (John D. MacArthur Professor of History, Northwestern University), Morris “Dino” Robinson (Production Manager, Northwestern Press and Founder, Shorefront Legacy Center), and Laurice Bell (Executive Director, Shorefront Legacy Center). The Keynote will break down the concept, practice and possibilities of “Beloved Community” and be livestreamed from the Evanston Campus to Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.

When: January 20, 2026 at 5:00pm CST, with a reception to follow

Where: Mary B Galvin Recital Hall,
70 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, IL 60208

Event is free and open to the public!

MLK Commemoration 2026

Future Archive: Our Beloved Community

The Office of Community Enrichment invites you to help shape the Future Archive: Our Beloved Community—a digital, community-built record of imagination, play, and care. This archive isn’t just about remembering where we’ve been; it’s about preserving what we need now and in the future to create and maintain communities where all people are respected, cared for, and treated as equals.

Submit to the Future Archive

Learn more about the Education Team's thematic focus, Re/Collecting Futures: Archives, Memory, and Imagination