Very few people in this country are honored with a day dedicated solely to them. But revered civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. is deserving of that distinction and much more. People in or around the Atlanta area should not miss out on the events taking place in his honor. The King Center, a living memorial dedicated to the advancement of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, is hosting several events that are open to the public. Hands On Atlanta is also celebrating with their 18th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Summit.

On Saturday Jan. 15, the King Center is hosting a “Happy Birthday Dr. King!” event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the King Center Freedom Hall. This free event is open to the public and is intended to be both a learning experience and a fun celebration for children ages two through 10.

On Monday Jan. 16, there will be a commemorative service dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr. at 10 a.m. at Ebenezer Baptist Church. The event is free and open to the public. There will be tributes to the civil rights leader’s life and legacy from national and international leaders. Martin Luther King III will be the keynote speaker at the service.

Also on Monday, the King Center will be teaming up with Hands On Atlanta for the 18th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Summit. The day-long event is free but attendees are asked to donate a non-perishable food item. The Summit will begin at 8 a.m. at Georgia Tech’s Ferst Center for the Arts and features music, dancing and a generational talk from descendants of civil rights leaders such as Andrea Young, Brooke Jackson Edmond and Jason Carter. There will also be a variety of Community Conversation Forums that cover diversity-related issues and several other events throughout the day.

For more information about these events, visit The King Center or Hands On Atlanta.