BENICIA COMMUNITY GATHERING
MLK DAY 2026
Sunday, January 18, 2026
2-4 pm • Benicia Public Library
…………….150 East L Street (map)
The Benicia Public Library and Benicia Black Lives Matter will host a Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community Gathering
Reading, Reflection, Resolve: How Would Dr. King View the World Today?
Sunday, January 18, 2026 | 2:00–4:00 PM
Benicia Public Library, in front of the fireplace
The Benicia Public Library, in partnership with Benicia Black Lives Matter, invites the community to gather on Sunday, January 18, 2026, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM to honor the life, legacy, and enduring relevance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through a meaningful afternoon of reading, reflection, and resolve.
Titled Reading, Reflection, Resolve: How Would Dr. King View the World Today?, this Martin Luther King Jr. Day event will explore how Dr. King’s words, values, and moral leadership might critically engage with the challenges and opportunities of our present moment—and how his vision can continue to guide collective action moving forward.
Rather than focusing solely on Dr. King as a historical figure, the program invites participants to engage with his ideas as living principles. Community members and local leaders will lead group readings from a selection of Dr. King’s most influential speeches, encouraging thoughtful discussion about their relevance today. These readings will serve as a foundation for conversation about justice, equity, nonviolence, civic responsibility, and the ongoing work required to build a more inclusive society.
The program will also include an exploration of the sustained grassroots organizing and advocacy that led to the establishment of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday, underscoring the importance of collective effort, persistence, and community engagement in creating lasting social change.
To ensure the event is welcoming to all ages, children will be invited to participate in drawing activities that encourage creative expression around themes of kindness, justice, and community. Light refreshments will be provided.
“We are thrilled to host this event with Benicia Black Lives Matter and create space for listening, learning, and connecting across generations,” said City Librarian, Jennifer Baker. “Dr. King challenged us not just to remember his words, but to act on them. This gathering invites the community to consider what that call to action looks like today, here in Benicia.”
The event will take place in front of the library’s fireplace, offering a warm and intimate setting for conversation and reflection.
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