OKLAHOMA CITY – Monday, January 19th will see communities across America coming together to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the 40th anniversary of the federal holiday recognized in his honor.
With a life’s work focused on racial equality, workers’ rights, and the world-shaking power of community organizing, Dr. King’s accomplishments and beliefs live as clearly as ever in many American minds in 2026.
And this year’s MLK Day events are likely to focus as much on reflecting that same organizing spirit as on celebrating the man’s memory.
With our city’s own OKC MLK Alliance taking the lead, Oklahoma City will join in the memorial celebrations with a multi-day slate of events and remembrances to not only honor Dr. King’s memory, but to also invoke his message for our modern times.
Gospel Extravaganza – Tabernacle Baptist Church, 1829 NE 36th St. – Saturday, January 17th – 6:00pm
Hosted by members of Alpha Phi Alpha (King’s own fraternity,) this event is set to kick off the holiday celebrations in appropriately joyous and rapturous fashion, spotlighting the unique power of gospel music in the Black American tradition.
In addition to lifting up the community and the memory of Dr. King in song, the event will also be raising funds for scholarships for high school students.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Program – St, John Baptist Church – 5700 N. Kelly Ave. – Sunday, January 18th – 3:00pm
Perhaps above all, Dr. King was a Baptist minister guided by his faith, and as such, the church holds a central role in MLK Day celebrations, with the annual holiday program at St. John Missionary Baptist Church laying the religious foundation each year.
Services this year will be led by guest preacher Reverend Dr. John Faison of Nashville, Tennessee, and former OKC Ward 7 City Councilman (and recent interim councilor) Reverend Dr. Lee Cooper Jr.
Cross-Cultural Dinner – Temple B’nai Israel – 4901 N. Pennsylvania Ave. – Sunday, January 18th – 6:00pm
In the spirit of Dr. King’s mission to bring diverse cultures and communities together across ethnic and religious lines, OKC’s NAACP and Temple B’nai Israel will host a cross-cultural dinner open to all members of the community.
MLK Day Opening Program and Silent March – Clara Luper Freedom Center of OKC – 2609 N. Martin Luther King Ave. – Monday, January 19th – 9:00am
The official MLK Day for 2026 gets underway with a reverent and solemn opening ceremony at OKC’s Clara Luper Freedom Center.
The ceremony will culminate with a silent march from the Freedom Center up NE 23rd Street to the Oklahoma History Center, recalling the early protest marches of the Civil Rights Movement with which Dr. King became synonymous.
When the procession arrives, organizers will ring the replica Liberty Bell outside the History Center, echoing the ringing of the original on the first MLK Day in 1986 and officially opening the holiday celebrations for OKC.
MLK Job Fair – Douglass High School – 900 N. Martin Luther King Ave. – Monday, January 19th – 9:00am – 1:00pm
Though Dr. King is most widely known for his message of racial equality and brotherhood, his work was just as heavily focused on workers’ rights and the means of gainful employment across classes and ethnic boundaries.
The OKC MLK Alliance keeps that spirit alive by hosting a job fair on the holiday, connecting aspiring workers to community employers.
MLK Day holiday program and service – St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral – 127 NW 7th Street – Monday, January 19th – 12:15pm
Downtown OKC’s St. Paul’s Cathedral will host the official invocation and benediction service for the holiday, featuring city organizing leaders, music, and prayer to honor Dr. King’s legacy.
OKC MLK Day Parade – Route begins at NW 5th Street and Walker Ave. – Monday, January 19th – 2:00pm
The cornerstone of holiday celebrations in OKC every year for decades, the annual MLK Day Parade brings the entire community together for an outdoor event focused on equality and solidarity for all races, creeds, and cultures.
The weather is forecast to see low temperatures during the parade – with an expected high just above freezing – so be sure to wear a coat and to bring some much-needed warmth for your neighbors.
For more information, visit okcmlkalliance.org.
Brett Fieldcamp is our Arts and Entertainment Editor. He has been covering arts, entertainment, news, housing, and culture in Oklahoma for 15+ years, writing for several local and state publications. He’s also a musician and songwriter and holds a certification as Specialist of Spirits from The Society of Wine Educators.
