MILWAUKEE — Each year, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered nationwide for his impact on racial equality in America and Milwaukee is no exception in that remembrance.
His impact was felt around the Cream City, as Dr. King visited Milwaukee several times during his life. One of his first local speeches happened on Aug. 14, 1957, at the Grand Avenue Congressional Church, what is now the Irish Cultural & Heritage Center.
Milwaukee Martin Luther King Jr. Day Coverage:
- A look back at Martin Luther King Jr.'s visits to Milwaukee
- MLK in MKE: Non-profit helping students stay on track and graduate high school
- MLK in MKE: Fighting injustice through learning, reading and connecting
- 9 ways to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Milwaukee
He came back to Milwaukee on Jan. 27, 1964, for an event at the Milwaukee Auditorium, now the Miller High Life Theater. Dr. King spoke to over 6,000 Milwaukeeans during a pivotal moment in the nation’s struggle for equality.
Following his assassination in 1968,15,000 people marched through the streets of downtown Milwaukee. To this day it’s the largest civil rights demonstration in city history and was one of the biggest in the country at the time.
On his namesake holiday, the city will be celebrating his lifetime through a number of events happening around the city.
A few of those events are listed here.
