WYOMISSING, Pa. – Penn State Berks will honor the life and legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. with events and activities to be held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2024, Monday, Jan. 15.  

MLK Day of Service  

Jan. 15, 9–11:30 a.m. – Janssen Conference Center, Penn State Berks 

The Penn State Berks Sustainability Council will host the MLK Day of Service project, which will focus on the removal of invasive plant removal around campus. Jayne Park-Martinez will lead the event by discussing local invasive species, ways to remove them, and plants to replace them. Then the group will spend several hours removing invasive species found on campus. Refreshments will be served. The event is in collaboration with Gring’s Mill Recreation Area in Reading.

MLK Celebration 

Jan. 18, 6 p.m. – Perkins Student Center Auditorium and Multipurpose Room 1, Penn State Berks  

Penn State Berks will host a live performance and multimedia presentation of “King’s Dream” by Key Arts Productions in the Perkins Student Center Auditorium. “King’s Dream” offers a rousing tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. The era of the turbulent 1960s comes alive with images, singers and songs that capture the spirit of the civil rights movement and the story of drama, courage and perseverance. This event is free and open to the public and it is sponsored by the Penn State Berks Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Committee; Arts and Lecture Series; and the Office of Campus Life. 

Following the performance, there will be an awards reception in Perkins Student Center Multipurpose Room 1, recognizing campus and local community individuals who embody Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy through community service, leadership, and commitment to social justice and positive change.