By Anne Levin

With a Community Bagel Breakfast in the morning, followed by a final “Naming Party” for the Romus Broadway photo collage project, and a reception for an exhibit of paintings by Aaron C. Fisher in the late afternoon, the Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) will be a busy place on Monday, January 16 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The ACP is one of several sites in the area that will pay tribute to the late pioneer of civil rights, on the federal holiday marking his birthday. With scheduled talks, concerts, multifaith religious services, food drives, and more, there are a variety of opportunities in several locations to honor his legacy that day.

The speaker at the ACP’s 9 a.m. breakfast is Princeton University professor Tina Campt, a well-known Black feminist theorist of visual culture and contemporary art. Families are invited to pick up a copy of an updated, limited-edition coloring book featuring prominent Black residents of Princeton throughout history, including business owners, politicians, educators, and influential women, in addition to King’s visits to the University campus in the 1960s. The book was designed in partnership with the Historical Society of Princeton, Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood historian Shirley Satterfield, and the University’s Wintersession. Participants are asked to bring canned or boxed non-perishables for a food drive to benefit Princeton Nursery School.

Once the bagels and coffee are cleared away, the photo collages will be moved in. The 11 a.m. “Naming Party” is the last of three gatherings devoted to identifying and preserving the names of friends, family, and community members pictured in collages by Broadway, who died in 2020. Some of these works have been displayed at various events at the ACP, most recently on vinyl banners hung from poles along Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood streets.

“We’ve shown the collages many times, and whenever we do, people are so interested,” said Maria Evans, ACP’s artistic director. “They come in and say, ‘Oh! There’s my cousin.’ Or ‘There’s my brother when he was 10 years old. One day John Bailey (Witherspoon-Jackson native and community organizer) came in and said, ‘That’s my mom!’ They make people laugh and cry and remember. The pictures are that strong. They are very candid, with a few exceptions like proms and other events. But most are from backyard barbecues, or the Elks Lodge, or just common, everyday life.”

Holding the party on Martin Luther King Jr. Day makes sense, since many people will have the day off from work. “These names were going to be lost,” said Evans. “People need to come in and identify them.” The ACP is at 102 Witherspoon Street. Visit artscouncilofprinceton.org for details.

Those who prefer to remain outdoors can pay tribute to King by doing just that, at Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve. In two sessions, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3 p.m., “A Day of Service in Nature” invites participants to join the land steward team of Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS) helping to remove invasive plants such as Japanese honeysuckle, burning bush, and multiflora rose in riparian restoration project areas; and sow winter seeds.

“Volunteers will be guided by FOPOS’s director of natural resources and stewardship, and the skills learned at these sessions can easily be applied to restoring habitat in your own backyard,” reads a press release from FOPOS.  Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve is at 30 Mountain Avenue. Visit fopos.org for details and registration.

Another way to honor King with community service is the MLK Day of Service at the West Windsor Arts Council, 952 Alexander Road. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., volunteers can join the arts council and the African American Parent Support Group as they package donations in a variety of categories, to go to local agencies for people in need. The total number of volunteer spots is limited for the safety of participants. For details, visit westwindsorarts.org.

At its James Kerney campus in Trenton, Mercer County Community College is holding a Day of Service and Celebration in honor of King, starting at 9 a.m. (registration begins at 8 a.m.). A coat drive for the Rescue Mission of Trenton, utensil and toiletry wrapping to benefit the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, a community cleanup of the capital city, a “Crochet for a Cause” project in conjunction with the college’s fashion design program to benefit HomeFront; and wrapping personal care items for Capital Health patients are among the activities planned.

Lunch will be held at 12:30 p.m., followed by performances and speakers celebrating King’s life. The keynote speaker is the Rev. Toby Sanders, whose topic is titled “First Steps.” Visit mccc.edu/mlk_dos for more information. The James Kerney campus is at 102 North Broad Street.

Arm in Arm is the beneficiary of proceeds from Trenton Music Makers’ seventh annual Martin Luther King Day of Service Concert, being held at 6 p.m. at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street. Offered in past years as a gift to the community, this year the organization invites audience members to contribute non-perishable foods, or monetary donation for Arm in Arm’s food bank. No tickets are required. Visit capitalharmony.works/events for more information.

The annual multifaith service being held at Nassau Presbyterian Church from 7 to 8:30 p.m. is a collaborative effort of the Princeton Clergy Association and the Princeton-based Coalition for Peace Action. The Rev. Vernon Byrd Jr., pastor of St. Matthew AME Church in Philadelphia, will preach, and a multifaith community choir will perform. The liturgy will be led by a diverse group of faith leaders.

Donations collected during the service will be split between Not in Our Town Princeton and the Peace Action Education Fund. The church is at 61 Nassau Street. Visit peacecoalition.org or call (609) 924-5022 for more information.

Further afield, there are events being held in Philadelphia not just on January 16, but on additional dates. “Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend” is celebrated January 14-16 at the Museum of the American Revolution (101 South Third Street). At Bartram’s Garden (5400 Lindbergh Boulevard), volunteers can pay tribute to King by helping to beautify this historic landmark from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The National Constitution Center (525 Arch Street) offers free admission and extended hours, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on January 16. Special programming includes readings of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, family-friendly concerts featuring songs form the civil rights era, and more. And at Eastern State Pententiary (2027 Fairmount Avenue), a free event for all ages commemorates King’s legacy with special emphasis on the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” he wrote in 1963. From 12 to 2 p.m., kids can participate in a special storytime circle.