About MLK Day
MLK Day, observed on the third Monday in January, honors civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.’s fight for equality, with a movement for a federal holiday starting right after his 1968 assassination led by Rep. John Conyers and Coretta Scott King. After years of advocacy, President Reagan signed it into law in 1983, with the first celebration held in 1986, marking the establishment of a national day of service to promote community volunteering and social justice.
MLK Day at UWM 2026 Sponsors
For questions or inquiries regarding MLK Day at UWM 2026 events, please email Vice Chancellor for Community Empowerment & Institutional Inclusivity, Dr. Chia Youyee Vang, at vangcy@uwm.edu.
We invite the entire UWM community to join us for a series of events honoring the life and legacy of civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
In honor of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., UW-Milwaukee will engage in a series of outreach activities on Monday, January 19, and a morning program on Tuesday, January 20. We encourage faculty, staff, students, and alumni to sign up for one or more volunteer shifts or to engage with fellow campus and community members to explore the life of Dr. King and his legacy here at UWM.
Monday, January 19, 2026
Honoring the Legacy of Dr. King: UWM Serving our Community
Volunteer opportunities include:
- MLK Day of Service at Lloyd Barbee Montessori School
- Volunteer shift times are 9:00 am to Noon or Noon to 3:00 pm
- Lloyd Barbee Montessori School, 4456 North Teutonia Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53209
- For more information and to sign up for a volunteer shift, click the link below.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration 2026
- Volunteer shift times are 8:30 am-12:30 pm and 12:00-5:30 pm
- Milwaukee Public Library MLK Branch, 2901 North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212
- For more information and to sign up for a volunteer shift, click the link below.
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
UWM students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners are invited to join the Mission Possible: Building Community Gathering at UWM
- 9:00-10:30 am
- UW-Milwaukee Student Union, Ballroom (1st floor)
- Refreshments will be provided along with engaging conversations
- Registration is required
Judge Derek Mosley
Director, Lubar Center at Marquette University Law School
To attend the Building Community Gathering, please register using the link below.