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A colorized photo of Martin Luther King Jr. standing in a crowd of men, some holding signs.
Programs & Resources

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

2026 Community Commemoration Events

Whitman College, Walla Walla University, Walla Walla Community College and Blue Mountain Action Council partner for an annual community celebration in conjunction with Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This year’s event will feature:

  • Inspiring speeches from community leaders
  • Musical performances celebrating civil rights and unity
  • A commemorative march through the heart of our community
  • Opportunities for community engagement and dialogue

We invite you to join us in this important community commemoration. Let us come together to honor Dr. King's legacy and recommit ourselves to the pursuit of justice, equality, and peace.

Event Poster

The 2026 celebration is sponsored by Whitman College, Walla Walla University, Walla Walla Community College, the Johnston-Fix Foundation. All events are free and open to the public.

Monday, Jan. 19

  • 11 a.m.
    Talk by Joan Francis, D.A.
    Walla Walla University Church, 212 SW 4th St., College Place

    portrait of Joan FrancisDr. Joan Francis is a professor and Director of the Center for Law and Public Policy at Washington Adventist University. She earned a Doctor of Arts in History from Carnegie Mellon University. Her areas of interest include social history and women’s studies, education philosophy, teaching and curriculum, and psychological counseling and health. 


  • Noon
    Community Building and Kickoff
    Reid Campus Center, Whitman College, 280 Boyer Ave., Walla Walla

    Make a sign, hear opening remarks, and build community prior to the march. Hosted by students from Whitman College’s Black Student Union.

  • 1:30 p.m.
    Legacy Walk from Whitman College to Gesa Power House Theatre
    Departing from Reid Campus Center, Whitman College, 280 Boyer Ave., Walla Walla

    This year’s march to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement will focus on the theme of “Economic Equity and Justice.” Join us in solidarity as we walk through downtown Walla Walla and raise awareness about the ongoing struggle for economic empowerment and equal opportunity for all members of our community. Let us remember Dr. King’s words: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

  • 2 p.m.
    Keynote Address: “Songs Changed: From Selma to the Cell” by Anthony Covert ’28 
    Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 N. 6th Ave., Walla Walla

    portrait of Anthony Covert ’28Anthony Covert ’28 is an Economics major at Whitman College and Director of Community Organizing for Justice Media with Unincarcerated Productions (more info below). He served 16 years in Walla Walla State Penitentiary, where he completed training in peer mentorship, facilitation and digital storytelling. His background includes community organizing, reentry support and arts-based education. He has co-led youth empowerment projects, written culturally rooted performance pieces and helped justice-impacted individuals find purpose through creative expression. 

  • 3 p.m.
    Love In Action
    Blue Mountain Action Council (BMAC) Food Bank, 921 W. Cherry St., Walla Walla

    Assemble bags for BMAC’s Backpack Bridge program. Hosted by the Walla Walla University Center for Humanitarian Engagement.


  • 7 p.m.
    “Come Hear What We See” Album Release Party for Rodney Outlaw and Comon Pholk
    Sheehan Gallery, Whitman College

    MLK Day is also a community celebration! As we remember and celebrate Dr. King’s life and legacy, as well as our interconnectedness, we mark the launch into Black History Month (February) in the valley, honoring the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society—from activists and civil rights pioneers to leaders in industry, politics, science, culture and more. 

    All are welcome to join us for the music event “Come Hear What We See”—an album release party for Rodney Outlaw and Comon Pholk at the Sheehan Gallery on the Whitman College campus—with refreshments and music to make us free!

A Decades-Long Tradition

Whitman College, Walla Walla University and Walla Walla Community College have collaborated on annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day events for many years.

A person with their arms raised speaks to a nearby crowd.
A small crowd of people bundled up against the cold weather, stand outside of Reid Campus Center
Two students crafting an “MLK” poster.
A person stands at a podium with images of Martin Luther King Jr. displayed on a screen behind them.
Three people in a recording studio with a “Concrete Mama” podcast poster in the background

Learn More About Unincarcerated Productions

Anthony Covert ’28, the 2026 keynote speaker, is Director of Community Organizing for Justice Media at Unincarcerated Productions, a team that is creating transformative media by and for justice-impacted people, including the Concrete Mama podcast.

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