Celebrate MLK Jr. Day in New Orleans
There are always events happening in New Orleans for holidays, and MLK Jr. Day is no exception. Take in the Memorial March on Monday at 9 a.m., which winds along a 1.5-mile route starting at City Hall. New Orleans is famous for their floats, music and jazz, and there will be plenty at this celebration. The parade heads down Loyola Avenue, MLK Jr. Boulevard and onto S. Claiborne Avenue before ending at the MLK Jr. Monument at Felicity Street and Claiborne Avenue.
The Young Men Olympian 133rd Annual Second Line Parade Route, joined by the 8th Annual Youth Civil Rights History Tour, also takes place on Monday—but with a 6:15 a.m. start time, you can enjoy both. It’s a full day of educational tours and brings over 150 girls and boys to the city center. The event starts at the MLK Urban Youth Academy and eventually brings the buses back at midnight. Although it’s a youth event, you can certainly enjoy the parade!
Celebration Station
The nearby city of Kenner’s MLK Jr. Day Celebration offers a smaller, quainter atmosphere. It begins at Providence Baptist Church on Jefferson Highway, which is also dubbed Reverend Richard Wilson Drive. There’s also the Partners Unite on National Service Day event where thousands gather to celebrate the life and work of Dr. King by cleaning up and renovating areas.
Finally, head to the Amistad Research Center for Conversations in Color at 7 p.m. In collaboration with the Tulane University Office of Multicultural Affairs, it’s a free event open to all and the perfect way to end your day “on.”