The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. would’ve turned 82 this year. Many commemorate his birthday and national holiday by rolling up their sleeves and giving back to the community. Others keep an eye out for go-and-do events to memorialize the legendary civil rights leader. The following are three different ways some Atlantans will be remembering King on and around the holiday.
SWEET AUBURN DISTRICT
The Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service
The King Center offers several programs and events, including the kid-friendly Happy Birthday Dr. King event (9 a.m. Jan. 15) and a documentary film festival featuring Andrew Young (noon Jan. 15). Yet the centerpiece of Atlanta’s MLK celebrations takes place the following Monday at the nearby Ebenezer Baptist Church, King’s home congregation. His son Martin Luther King III, president and CEO of the King Center, is this year’s keynote speaker. Although the event is open to the public, seating is limited. Those who can’t make it inside are invited to gather in front of the rose garden at the Martin Luther King Historic Site, where a 12-by-19-foot screen will show a live broadcast of the service.
10 a.m. Jan. 17. Free. Ebenezer Baptist Church, 407 Auburn Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-688-7300; King Center, 449 Auburn Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-526-8900, www.thekingcenter.org.
SANDY SPRINGS
“Prophets” at Sandy Springs Christian Church
In honor of MLK’s actual birthday, actor Brad Sherrill stars in a one-man multimedia performance of “Prophets.” The timing of this particular show resonates with Sherrill, who refers to King as “the last great American prophet.” Sherrill, a longtime member of the Georgia Shakespeare theater company, takes the messages of biblical scribes Isaiah, Amos and Jeremiah and fits them within the framework of a 90-minute show. It features some of the same texts often quoted by King. Sherrill says the Hebrew prophets were saying no to society while giving great hope and a vision of what can be, a perspective he compares with King’s. The actor combines these texts with multimedia aspects -- including an image of a golden calf morphing into the Merrill Lynch bull -- that look at age-old thoughts through a contemporary lens.
7 p.m. Jan. 15. Free. Sandy Springs Christian Church, 301 Johnson Ferry Road N.W., Sandy Springs. 404-256-2582, www.sandyspringscc.org.
DOWNTOWN
Atlanta Hawks vs. Sacramento Kings at Philips Arena
The Hawks celebrate the holiday with a special afternoon basketball game against the Sacramento Kings. The MLK celebration includes a live poetry reading by the high school student winner of the 2011 Atlanta Hawks Poetry Slam contest. It’s also one of the team’s Kid’s Day games, which allow fans to save as much as 34 percent off the regular ticket price. And not all of the action is on the court. The Kids Zone, located in the Philips Experience section of the arena, offers an array of activities. Catch an autograph session with a Hawks player, appearances by mascot Harry the Hawk and the Hawks cheerleaders, face painting, games, music and more.
4 p.m. Jan. 17. $10-$240. Philips Arena, 1 Philips Drive, Atlanta. 1-800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com.
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