The MLK Commemorative Speaker Event

Author, civil engineer and Nashville native Cheryl McKissack Daniel will headline the Vanderbilt University Martin Luther King Jr. Day Speaker Event on Thursday, Jan. 15, kicking off the university’s 2026 MLK Commemorative Event Series. The conversation is part of Dialogue Vanderbilt’s 250 Conversations on America: Civil Discourse in Action series.McKissack Daniel will be discussing the book she co-authored with Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Nick Chiles, The Black Family Who Built America: The McKissacks, Two Centuries of Daring Pioneers. Moderated by Associate Provost for Academic Opportunity Jeremi London, the Q&A session will explore the McKissack family’s journey as trailblazers in a field that witnessed widespread discrimination.  

• Date: Thursday, January 15
• Time: 5:00 p.m.
• Location: Sarratt Cinema
• Registration Link

41st Annual Nashville MLK March & Convocation

Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to take part in the 2026 Nashville MLK Day March and Convocation, celebrating 41 years of honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Nashville!

Transportation will be available, and Vanderbilt attendees who register will receive a free MLK Day hoodie. Vanderbilt community members will march alongside the greater Nashville community from the Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church to the TSU Gentry Center.

Date: Monday, January 19, 2026
Details:
Breakfast, check-in, and hoodie distribution begin at 7:30 a.m. in the Commons Center Lobby and E. Bronson Ingram College. Morgan House will have breakfast, check-in, and hoodie distribution available beginning at 7:15 a.m.

Bus transportation:

• Commons Center: Buses will depart at8:15 a.m.
• E. Bronson Ingram College (EBI): The bus departing from EBI will first stop atHighland Quad’s Morgan House, loading from7:30–7:45 a.m. for students in that area before arriving at EBI to gather additional attendees. This bus will depart for the march at 8:15 a.m.
• Each pickup location will have self-serve breakfast options available.
• All buses will then proceed to the march starting point.

Registration:

• Register for breakfast and bus transportation when you RSVP on Anchor Link
• RSVP is required for students who plan to participate
• Register to volunteer using the Anchor Link form (for staff/faculty only)

The march will take place from9:00–9:30 a.m., beginning at Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church and continuing along Jefferson Street. The Convocation will follow at theTSU Gentry Center from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

This event is open to all members of the Vanderbilt community. While bus transportation will prioritize students, all are welcome to join us for this special event.

Students will receive credit toward their VandyPASS.

MLK Joint Day of Service

The MLK Joint Day of Service is an annual celebration of Dr. King’s legacy. On Saturday, Jan. 24, students from all of Nashville’s colleges and universities will come together at Tennessee State University for a kickoff event and then volunteer at community service projects across the city.

• Date: Saturday, January 24
• Time: 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 
• Registration will be available via Anchor Link on January 5!

Students: Participation counts toward Commons and College Cup points.

Additional MLK Day 2026 Events

SUBMIT MLK-RELATED EVENTS

James Lawson Institute Reflection Table
A drop-in reflection table, hosted by the James Lawson Institute, where campus community members can engage with Dr. King’s quotes and share reflections on his life and legacy.

• Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2026
• Time: 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
• Location: Sarratt Promenade
  A drop-in reflection table where campus community members can engage with Dr. King’s quotes and share reflections on his life and legacy.

8th Annual David Williams II/MLK Day Civil Rights Tour
Hosted by Vanderbilt Athletics, this annual trip offers student-athletes the opportunity to experience historical civil rights institutions. This year’s trip will be to the Muhammad Ali Center and Roots 101 African American Museum in Louisville, KY.

James Lawson Institute Roundtable Discussion
The James Lawson Institute will host a roundtable discussion focused on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s radical politics, using selected excerpts from the book The Radical King. This session invites students, faculty, and staff to engage critically with King’s writings beyond the familiar “I Have a Dream” narrative, examining his critiques of economic injustice, militarism, and structural racism.

• Date: Tuesday, January 20, 2026
• Time: 1:00-2:15 p.m.
• Location: James Lawson Institute, Divinity School Suite 119
• Registration Link