2024 Event Schedule

Join us as our community comes together to pay homage to the life nd works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and his fight for social justice and civil rights.

Our theme for 2024: Why We Can’t Wait: Activating Our Power for Equity in Justice. We will center the 2024 events around the six principals of non-violence and Dr. Martin Luther King’s book Why We Can’t Wait, a classic exploration of the events and forces behind the Civil Rights Movement.

We hope you will join us as we celebrate the 38th anniversary of the Nashville MLK Day events.

Please sign up your group to help us keep track of all our participating members for the march.

We will have a community banner day to create banners for your group to march with the day of!

We are excited to be partnering with Turnip Green Creative Reuse to provide banner materials and supplies to all our community banner day participants!

January 10th, Wednesday at Hadley Park Community Center 5-7:00 PM

Join us for an unforgettable evening at the IMF 2024 Nashville MLK Day Black Tie Gala! Celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in style on Thursday, January 11, 2024, starting at 5:30 PM (Central Standard Time).

Located at 1011 21st Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37208, this in-person event promises an enchanting atmosphere filled with elegance and camaraderie.

Put on your finest black tie attire and get ready to mingle with like-minded individuals who share a passion for equality and justice.

Throughout the evening, enjoy live music, captivating performances, and indulge in a delectable array of culinary delights. Our carefully curated program will pay homage to Dr. King’s remarkable impact and inspire us to continue his work.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to honor a legendary figure while supporting the IMF’s mission to promote equality and social justice. Mark your calendars and join us for an unforgettable night at the IMF 2024 Nashville MLK Day Black Tie Gala!

The IMF Gala will benefit the IMF Education Fund which supports students attending local HBCUs: Tennessee State University, Fisk University, Meharry Medical College and American Baptist College

EARLY BIRD TICKET PRICE $125.00 – beginning October 1st, 2023

Ticket Price $150.00 – beginning November 1st, 2023

The 2024 MLK Day Labor & Human Rights Breakfast is hosted by the IMF and coordinated by the Central Labor Council of Nashville & Middle TN and the Tennessee Human Rights Commission. The Labor & Human Rights Breakfast will take place Friday, January 12 at the Scarritt Bennett Center in Nashville, TN. Doors open at 7:30am with the event program running from 8:00am – 9:30am CST.

The theme for this year’s MLK Day Nashville events is “Why We Can’t Wait: Activating our Power for Justice and Equity”. This year’s Labor & Human Rights Breakfast will be MC’d by Vonda McDaniel, President of the Central Labor Council of Nashville & Middle TN.

The Labor & Human Rights Breakfast honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as labor & human rights advocate and recognize advances in equity for present day labor & human rights. Previous featured speakers of the Labor & Human Rights Breakfast include Everett Kelley, Gloria Sweet-Love, and Andrew Young.

This year’s program will feature Keynote Speaker, Reverend Daryl G. Gray. Reverend Gray is 40+ year veteran in the United States and Canadian Civil & Human Rights Movement, serving on the senior staff level with numerous organizations such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the NAACP and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Throughout his illustrious career, Reverend Gray has worked alongside civil rights icons including the late Mrs. Coretta Scott King, Congressman John Lewis, and Reverend Jesse Jackson. A standout figure in Missouri, Reverend Gray is known for his involvement in the Jackson Stockley protest in St. Louis and as the link between proesters, clergy and white allies during protests in Ferguson, MO. Reverend Gray curently serves as the Senior Pastor of the Greater Fairfax Missionary Baptist Church and Director General of Social Justice for the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. and a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

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Admission Price: $15.00

Sponsorship Price: $1,000

Sponsorships include a table (8 seats), logos featured in program and special recognitions during the event.

Eventbrite link: https://bit.ly/MLKLHR2024

Youth Symposium Workshops

1. The “Activism: Build Your Platform” workshop will diversify the meaning of advocacy and guide young people in recognizing their strengths and leadership abilities. Young people will participate in a strengths finder’s course to assess skills that will assist them in influencing the future of social justice. This is an interactive workshop that will use simulations in which young people are encouraged to initiate team building and discussion to amplify various types of activism.
2. The “Be in the Know: Public Health & Environmentalism” workshop is focused on learning about health and environmental disparities that impact us locally. Attendees will implement collaborative projects that will model sustainability to improve physical and environmental well-being. There will be informative sessions on the intersectionality of both the medical and ecological needs that will affect the future of young people. Young people will address urban planning and climate-friendly alternatives so they can create outlines of how to enhance equity within public health.
3. “Next Step Opportunities” is a service-oriented workshop that allows students to navigate resources as they transition into adulthood. This includes but is not limited to learning about entrepreneurship, internships, apprenticeship, or a specified trade. This workshop will include college counselors, business professionals, and student leaders to encourage the abilities and aspirations of the next wave of dreamers. Students will gain insight into the opportunity that is cultivated through networking, building their portfolio, and accessing a future of hope and success.
4. Influence of Media: Honoring Messages of Hope” is a workshop that is focused on celebrating creative mediums. Attendees within this space will sample the craft of their choice to create an original piece with the theme of justice and legacy of MLK in mind. Attendees can reflect on or present their work, which will be guided by equity-oriented prompts. Honoring a space of creativity, this workshop will include local poets, musicians, actors, and more.

An intergenerational panel will discuss how their activism, knowledge, opportunities, and messaging has influenced their leadership and advocacy.

A moderated panel discussion focused on the faith African Americans have placed in education to obtain equity and freedom with black women leading prominent educational institutions in Nashville:

• Dr. Glenda Glover, President of Tennessee State University
• Dr. Adrienne Battle, Director of Metro Nashville Public Schools
• Dr. Shanna L. Jackson, President of Nashville State Community College

Join us as our community comes together to pay homage to the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and his fight for social justice and civil rights.

Our theme for 2024: Why We Can’t Wait: Activating Our Power for Equity in Justice. We will center the 2024 events around the six principles of non-violence and Dr. Martin Luther King’s book Why We Can’t Wait, a classic exploration of the events and forces behind the Civil Rights Movement.

Join us for the pre-convocation events beginning at 7:30am which will include access to the Rep Your Voice Room where youth can create posters for the annual March to Gentry and stage performances by local artists.

We will once again be joined with a live remote by the Kenny Smoov Morning Show crew from 92Q/Cumulus Radio

We hope you will join us as we celebrate the 38th anniversary of the Nashville MLK Day events.