THE KING CENTER ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR THE OFFICIAL COMMEMORATIONS OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.’S AND CORETTA SCOTT KING’S 100TH BIRTHDAYS AND A STATE-OF-THE-ART KING CENTER
01 Agosto 2024 - 7:00AM
The King Center is embarking on a five-year plan to celebrate the
100th birthdays of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 2029 and Mrs.
Coretta Scott King in 2027. This forward-looking plan includes the
construction of a new state-of-the-art facility within the Martin
Luther King, Jr. National Historic Park in downtown Atlanta.
King 100: The Official Centennial
Celebrations of MLK and CSK will include a phased series
of global activations spanning from 2025 to 2029, which embrace Dr.
King’s vision of the Beloved Community, as well as a series of
themed events inspired by Dr. King’s timeless teachings and Mrs.
King’s inspirational legacy.
The 100th birthday celebrations are designed to
build from the blueprint Dr. King left in his last book and answer
his pivotal question: 'Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or
Community?' Highlights include:
King Dream Center Capital Campaign: A
reimaging and expansion of The King Center, will bring pivotal
moments of the Modern Civil Rights Movement to life through Dr. and
Mrs. King’s words and images. The Center aims to make history more
engaging, relevant and accessible to all. This effort is a
multi-year fundraising campaign to build a technology-centric
facility that will revolutionize how visitors experience civil
rights history, social progress and nonviolence as a way of life.
Planned features include immersive technologies, including virtual
reality, augmented and mixed reality, holograms, and interactive
exhibits, seamlessly blending traditional exhibits, visitor
services, with digital enhancements. Existing features of The King
Center, including Dr. and Mrs. King’s crypt, administrative
offices, theatre, advanced archives, bookstore, multi-purpose
meeting spaces, etc will be incorporated in the new vision of the
property.
King 100 Global Music Series and Concert:
A music series commemorating the Kings’ centennial birthdays in
April 2027 and January 2029 is planned. The series will include
concerts, original musical releases and culminate in the Centennial
Celebration Concert in Atlanta, reminiscent of “We Are the World”
and will feature musicians from all over the globe, emphasizing the
Kings’ influence on music.
Programs and Initiatives: A series of
impactful programs and initiatives, which will be planned and
executed through a network of partnerships and volunteers, that
will lay a framework for societal transformation with an emphasis
on housing, livable wages, and education. These collaborations with
organizations and individuals will be themed around Dr. King’s
influential teachings and Mrs. King’s legacy of empowerment for the
next generation.
“As we approach the centennial birthdays of my
parents, we honor their enduring legacies by recommitting ourselves
to their vision of a Beloved Community. Our five-year plan isn't
just about celebrations—it's a call to action.” said Dr. Bernice A.
King. “Through initiatives like the King Dream Center, social and
economic impact programs, and cultural integrations, we're not only
commemorating the past but actively shaping a future where
equality, justice, and love prevail. Together, we can transform my
father's dream and my mother's vision into tangible realities for
generations to come.”
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For more information contact: Mina
Bryant, 404-722-3071, mbryant@thekingcenter.org; Lisa Rayner,
404-803-0611, lisa@lisakrayner.com
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for
Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center) is a 501(c) (3)
organization established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King. The
King Center is the official living memorial and institutional
guardian of the King legacy committed to educating the world on the
life, legacy, and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The
nonprofit fulfills its mission through education and training,
customized curricula, research, policy, programs, technology, and
advocacy to ensure Dr. King’s message continues to inspire and
empower current and future generations. The King Center
serves to inspire new generations to carry forward King’s
unfinished work, strengthen causes and empower change-makers who
are continuing his efforts today. The King Center’s premiere
educational initiative, Nonviolence365®, is based on Dr. King’s
nonviolent philosophy and methodology. His teachings engage
participants from various sectors of society, including emerging
and next generation leaders, in modules and exercises that enhance
communication, leadership, interpersonal and conflict
reconciliation skills. To learn more about The King Center, please
visit thekingcenter.org.
Mina Bryant
The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change
770-722-3071
mbryant@thekingcenter.org