40th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration
Online Celebration: January 15 – 22, 2021
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville & Buncombe County, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) entity, is currently planning for our annual MLK, Jr. Celebration events. The format for the 2021 Celebration will be different this year due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. As we commemorate forty (40) years of service and celebrations, we will move most of our programming to online platforms utilizing YouTube and Zoom. The 2021 programming will be expanded to a week-long list of events, and the speaker for the Prayer Breakfast will be Dr. Oralene Simmons, President, MLK Association. She will be sharing some of the forty-year struggles of not only the Association, but the 400 years of struggles of the Black race in the United States.
How to Watch: Programming Will be available starting 1/15/21 on YouTube. Subscribe and hit the bell icon to receive a notification each time a video is published for MLK Week!
Check out the Prayer Breakfast Souvenir Journal.
2021 Sponsors
Platinum
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Programs
-
![]()
Buncombe County Remembrance Project
The Buncombe Community Remembrance Project aims to acknowledge and remember individuals lynched in Buncombe County, as well as to:- More accurately reflect history of racial and economic injustice and inequity
- Heal from the silent trauma surrounding racial violence
- Foster local conversation and reflections concerning community healing
- Community healing through programming and events
-
![]()
COPE Program
The Community Outreach Providing Empowerment (COPE) Initiative focuses on empowering residents living in Asheville and Buncombe County through educational outreach, workshops, seminars, and special events. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County, Inc. places great emphasis on the goals of Dr. King that foster economic development, affordable housing, and self-sufficiency. -
![]()
Stand Against Racism
The Martin Luther King Association works each year with the YWCA of Asheville in support of its Stand Against Racism program.
Awards
-
![]()
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award
Many outstanding citizens of Asheville and surrounding areas have contributed to our community through their leadership skills and compassion. The annual award is an opportunity to acknowledge their work and honor them as role models in our civic life. -
![]()
Youth Awards & Scholarships
In late April the MLK Association honors area high school and middle school students who have demonstrated leadership, intellectual, and community engagement skills. In addition to receiving recognition awards, up to three students each year are awarded a scholarship to the university of their choice.