BANGOR, Maine — The Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine will commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. 5-8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 17, at the center, 96 Harlow St. Attendees will remember the struggle led by Cesar Chavez during the second half of the 20th century and its links to current food production and labor.
The event will feature a community potluck supper, followed by a panel discussion facilitated by Mike Guare, lawyer with Pine Tree Legal; Jack McKay, director of Food AND Medicine; and Nathaniel Hernandez, a University of Maine student. The discussion will be followed by the documentary “Food Chains,” directed by Sanjay Rawal, which looks at present struggles of farm workers in Florida and their social organizing story. For information, call 942-9343 or email info@peacectr.org.
BANGOR, Maine — An interfaith Service of Light in celebration of the life and witness of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with guest speaker the Rev. Dr. Lloyd A. Lewis Jr., retired professor at Virginia Theological Seminary, will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 17, at All Souls Congregational Church, 10 Broadway. The event is organized by All Souls, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Bangor Area Children’s Choir and Destiny Worship Center. Music will include an arrangement of the African-American spiritual “Precious Lord,” contemporary gospel piece “Praise His Holy Name,” and a Symphony of Spirituals arranged for piano and organ duet. Child care provided. Lewis also will preach at 8 and 10 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 17, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 225 French St. For information, call Robert Ludwig, choirmaster at St. John’s Episcopal Church, at 947-0156 or email choirmaster@stjohnsbangor.org.
BANGOR, Maine — Community Partnerships for Protecting Children is partnering with Bangor Housing Authority, Boys and Girls Club of Bangor, AmeriCorps, Eastern Maine Development Corp, Youth Move Maine, Literacy Volunteers of Bangor and Spruce Run-Womancare Alliance for an afternoon of activities for families throughout the region 1-4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18, at Davis Road Community Center, 161 Davis Road.
Children in kindergarten through grade five are invited to share the vision and spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through a series of guided activities, including a read-aloud and discussion of “The Name Jar,” a craft table, an international cuisine experience and a physical activity with Strong Mind-Strong Body Inc. An adult must accompany all children. Keynote speaker will be Mary Hunter of Bangor, who will share memories of growing up in Georgia in the 1920s and 1930s.
BELFAST, Maine — The annual Martin Luther King candlelight walk and community celebration will be held at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18, starting at the post office and proceeding to the First Church Parish House for a gathering with music, readings from MLK’s work and a community speak out to continue the struggle for racial justice. The event is sponsored by Waldo County Peace and Justice. For information, call 338-5089.
BRUNSWICK, Maine — The Brunswick community will gather 5-7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18, at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 15 Pleasant St., for the fifth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day pasta supper to raise funds for the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program. The nonpartisan event is organized as a public service by the Brunswick Democratic Town Committee. The pasta supper, which includes the option of gluten-free noodles, will feature homemade meat and vegetarian sauces, focaccia bread, salad, desserts and coffee. Adults are encouraged to make a donation of $10 per person, and children under the age of 10 are welcome to eat at no cost. All proceeds from the event will benefit MCHPP, which provides assistance to at least 1,200 families in need each year. Featured speaker Fatuma Hussein of Auburn will make brief remarks about her work with refugee women from Africa. Now executive director of United Somali Women of Maine, Hussein lived in Somalia, Kenya, and Atlanta, Georgia, before she arrived in Maine in 2001. Karen Parker, Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program executive director, will provide a short overview of the programs her organization operates for the benefit of residents of Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Brunswick, Durham, Harpswell, Lisbon and Topsham. Parking is available on Middle Street, Pleasant Street, Town Hall Place, or in the lot of Curtis Memorial Library, which is closed for the holiday. For information or to volunteer, email Jackie Sartoris at jacqueline.sartoris@gmail.com or call 729-6327.
BRUNSWICK, Maine — Children’s book author Rohan Henry will read from his new work, “The Perfect Garden,” and songwriter Josephine Cameron will participate in a program of storytelling, music and crafts for children 5 and older in remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr. The Children’s Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. will be held 10:30 a.m.-noon Monday, Jan. 18, at Bowdoin College’s Thorne Hall, Daggett Lounge. Refreshments will be served. Admission is free, and copies of selected titles by each presenter will be available for purchase. Check the Bowdoin College website, www.bowdoin.edu, for event information in case of inclement weather, or call 725-3000 and select option 3.
LEWISTON, Maine — Bates College’s 2016 observance of Martin Luther King Jr. will offer workshops, panel discussions, films and other activities around the theme of “Mass Incarceration and Black Citizenship.” A highlight of the Bates observance is an appearance by William Jelani Cobb, a nationally known commentator on race, politics, culture and history, who will give the keynote address at 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 18, at the Peter J. Gomes Chapel. ( The address will be livestreamed.) Other events that day include two concurrent workshops exploring race, law, justice and reform; a debate between students from Bates and Morehouse colleges at 3:45 p.m. in Olin Concert Hall; and a 7:30 p.m. performance by the student group Sankofa, which uses dance, music, spoken word and more to explore stories of the African diaspora. Bates’ programming begins on Sunday, Jan. 17, with events including a 7 p.m. worship service at the Gomes Chapel, and concludes Tuesday, Jan. 19, with the annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Read-In at Martel School. Although admission is free, tickets are required for the debate and the Sankofa performance. For information, call 786-6400 or visit www.bates.edu/mlk/, which also has a full schedule of events listed.
ORONO, Maine — The 2016 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast Celebration co-sponsored by the Greater Bangor NAACP and the University of Maine will be held 8:30-10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 18, in the Wells Conference Center, University of Maine. The family-friendly breakfast will feature food, music, a peace writing prize recognition and keynote address by Alison Beyea, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine. Tickets are $25, $12.50 for children 12 and under and free to students with a MaineCard. Senior citizens and veterans are eligible for a 10 percent discount. Registration is required. For information or to request a disability accommodation, email Muna Abdullahi at muna.abdullahi@maine.edu or call 581-1437.
ROCKLAND, Maine — “Mighty Times: The Children’s March,” a 2004 Academy Award-winning documentary about the civil rights movement, will be presented as a free screening for Martin Luther King Day at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18, at the Strand Theatre, 345 Main St. The Children’s March reveals a chapter in the civil rights movement that focuses on more than 4,000 black schoolchildren who deserted classrooms in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 2, 1963, touching off a week of mass demonstrations and rioting that shocked the nation and rocked the world. On that day, the children of Birmingham flooded the city’s streets — and the city’s jail — to challenge segregation. Created by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the film documents the contributions and courage of young people working for racial justice. The film is not rated. Running time is 40 min. Admission to the screening is free. For information, visit rocklandstrand.com; call 594-0070, ext. 3; or email info@rocklandstrand.com.
WATERVILLE, Maine — Colby College will commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with public events and community service opportunities, including a keynote address at 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18, in Ostrove Auditorium, Diamond Building. Nell Irvin Painter, Edwards Professor of American History, emerita, at Princeton University and a leading historian of the United States, will present “A History of White People: A Conversation about Race Relations.” Other events include “A Multi-Faith Celebration of the Legacy” at 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 17, in Lorimer Chapel, which will include a special MLK Day gospel choir; and a day of community service through the InterAct program, open to students and community members, Saturday, Jan. 23. The day will conclude with the Drum Major of Justice Awards dinner. Colby campus members who have demonstrated a commitment to social justice will be recognized. For information, call the dean of students, office of diversity, inclusion and equality programs at 859-4250.