Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
In collaboration with partners on campus and in the community, SIUE's Kimmel Belonging and Engagement Hub hosts a luncheon in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Highlights of the luncheon include keynote speakers, musical performances and the awarding of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards: SIUE Student Scholarship; Humanitarian Award(s); and Youth Essay, Poetry and Visual Arts Contest (for local youth).
Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to apply for the awards, outlined in the tabs on this page, throughout the fall semester. Applications are now open! The deadline to nominate and apply for all awards are November 25, 2026, at 12:00p.m.
The 44th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration will be on Wednesday, January 20, 2027!
The theme for this years' Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration is Beyond the Dream: Building Our Community Together. This theme represents King's concept of the "beloved community" The concept was not simply an ideal future - it represented the kind of society that could emerge through reconciliation, justice, dignity, and people working together. His writings repeatedly described the beloved community as the ultimate goal of the movement.
We are pleased to announce our keynote speaker for the 44th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, Dr. Bettina L. Love! Dr. Love is the William F. Russell Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, and the acclaimed author of Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal, a New York Times bestseller. This book has received numerous honors, including the Stowe Prize for Literary Activism, a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize, the Goddard Riverside Stephan Russo Book Prize for Social Justice, the National Council for Black Studies' Anna Julia Cooper & C.L.R. James Book Award, and long-listing for Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize. She is the author of the forthcoming children's book, Bettina and the Ball, published by Candlewick Press.
In recognition of her transformative work, Dr. Love was named a 2022 Next 50 Leader by the Kennedy Center for her commitment to fostering inspiration, inclusion, and compassion. In 2024, she was honored with the Truth Award for Excellence in Education from Better Brothers Los Angeles and The Diva Foundation, as well as the Black Girl Magic Award at Lincoln Center in New York City.
Dr. Love was instrumental in the creation of the "In Her Hands" initiative, which distributed over $13 million in financial support to Black women throughout Georgia. A sought-after public speaker, she addresses issues including abolitionist teaching, anti-racism, Hip Hop education, Black girlhood, queer youth, educational reparations, and the power of art-based education in civic engagement. Her commentary and work have been featured in NPR, PBS, The Daily Beast, Time, Education Week, The Guardian, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
In 2018, the Georgia House of Representatives passes a resolution honoring Dr. Love's significant contributions to education. as a public scholar, she is a regular contributor to Education Week Opinion, writing on race and education in the United States. Her 2019 book, We Want To Do More Than Survive, has sold nearly 200,000 copies and is a foundational classroom text, cementing her as one of today's most influential voices in education. Dr. Love is also the co-founder of the research project Developing Reparative Educational Approaches for Meaningful Systemic Shifts (DREAMS). This national study investigates Black educational freedom dreams emerging from the most racialized spaces of educational resistance, with the goal of advancing educational repair.
Tickets to Attend the Celebration
Ticket sales are now open and can be purchased until January 13, 2027. Click here to purchase tickets for the 2027 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration!
Tickets can be purchased individually for $40 each or a table can be purchased for $280. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. More details on sponsorships can be found on the Become a Sponsor tab to the left.
SIUE departments and offices interested in making ticket or table purchases can contact the Kimmel Belonging and Engagement Hub at MLKCelebration@siue.edu or 618.650.2686.
If you have any questions, please email MLKCelebration@siue.edu.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
As part of honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we have a chance to show our local communities what we know is true; SIUE values service and community. Make plans to be part of SIUE's annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service!
Plans are being made for service opportunities in the communities where SIUE is located - Alton, Belleville, East St. Louis, and Edwardsville.
If you are interested in volunteering or having your organization be a host site for the MLK Day of Service, please the Kimmel Belonging and Engagement Hub at KimmelHub@siue.edu.
