Nashville is preparing to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr day on January 19, 2026 and the undeniable impact that he made in the fight for civil rights. We have created a list of activities, events, and volunteer opportunities happening over the next few days to celebrate his legacy and his dream for equality in 2026. This year’s theme is also poignant: “Legacy in Action: Continuing the Dream through Service, Justice, & Unity” presented by Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship (IMF), which has organized the Nashville Celebration for MLK Day since 1989. Learn more here.
Join the IMF for the 4th Annual Women of Faith Panel, a signature event of the Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship’s MLK Week hosted by Scarritt Bennett Center’s Racial Justice Ministries. This year’s theme, “Legacy in Her Hands: Women of Faith Keeping the Dream Alive,” celebrates the women who carry Dr. King’s vision forward—resisting despair, nurturing hope, and building the Beloved Community through service, justice, and unity.
Author, civil engineer and Nashville native Cheryl McKissack Daniel will headline the Vanderbilt University Martin Luther King Jr. Day Speaker Event on Thursday, Jan. 15, kicking off the university’s 2026 MLK Commemorative Event Series. The conversation, which is part of Dialogue Vanderbilt’s 250 Conversations on America: Civil Discourse in Action series, is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the Sarratt Cinema…