Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Writing, Speech and Art Contests 2021-22

Celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an activist committed to peace, justice, and equality. As a visionary leader of the civil rights movement, King fought for racial and economic justice for the oppressed. His driving forces were nonviolence, love, the importance of family and self-respect.

This year’s theme is “We Must Speak,” from Dr. King’s address “A Time to Break Silence” given at New York’s Riverside Church on April 4, 1967.

“And some of us who have already begun to break the silence of the night have found that the calling to speak is often a vocation of agony, but we must speak. We must speak with all the humility that is appropriate to our limited vision, but We Must Speak.”

Students can reflect on these words and how they relate to themselves or others in their families, schools, neighborhoods or the world.

Writing Contest| Sponsored by the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Speech Contest | Sponsored by We Energies

Art Contest | Sponsored by the Milwaukee Public Schools and the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts

This year’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration will be held virtually by Marcus Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, January 17, 2022 at 1pm. The winners of the speech, art, and writing contests will be recognized at this event. 

Please visit MarcusCenter.org/MLK for more event details.