Sunday is the anniversary of the birth of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Monday is the federal holiday in his honor.

Locally, events are being planned to celebrate his historic legacy.

In Ashland, the Highlands Museum & Discovery Center will be open on Monday and admission will be free that day.

The city’s MLK march will conclude next door at First Presbyterian Church and, afterward, the public is invited to the museum where activities, including crafts and a reading of the “I have a Dream” speech are set to run until 4 p.m.

Two weeks later, Ohio University Southern will host its annual program as part of the campus’s celebration of King.

The Community Celebration is organized by the Ohio University Southern Council on Diversity and Inclusion will host its inaugural reception honoring the recipients of the 2023 Legacy Awards and student winners of the MLK Writing Contest.

In addition, this event usually features a number of speakers who explain how King’s work has impacted their lives.

This free event begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Riffe Rotunda and is open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Both of these events are worth attending and we encourage those who can to stop by.