Photos: BAM\Wikimedia Commons
Brooklyn, NY — December 18, 2025 — BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) andBrooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso proudly present the 40th Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., New York City’s largest and longest-running public celebration honoring the life and legacy of Dr. King. This free, community-centered event takes place Monday, January 19, 2026, at 10:30AM at BAM’s Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette Ave), and features a keynote address by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, a solo dance performance byRonald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, and a moving musical program by The Fire Ensemble, under the direction of composer and creative director Troy Anthony.
This year’s keynote will be delivered by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, a national civil rights leader, public theologian, and Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. A powerful orator and advocate for economic and racial justice, Dr. Barber brings urgency, vision, and hope to this year’s tribute. His keynote underscores the deep moral and civic weight of this year’s tribute, which marks both the 40th anniversary of BAM’s celebration and the 40th year since the MLK holiday was first federally observed in 1986.
The Tribute will also feature a solo excerpt from Grace, the seminal work by Ronald K. Brown, performed by Khalia Campbell of Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE. Titled “Mother God,” the solo channels the spiritual essence at the heart of Brown’s choreography. Originally created in 1999 for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Grace traces the journey of a goddess descending to Earth to offer compassion and light. Hailed by The New York Times as “part of the canon,” the work continues to inspire through its spiritual depth and timeless message.
The Fire Ensemble, an intergenerational choir rooted in Black musical traditions and centering BIPOC and queer voices, brings their signature blend of gospel, R&B, and soul to the stage. Led by composer and creative director Troy Anthony, the ensemble delivers a powerful musical program that invites collective reflection and joy. In the spirit of unity, the choir also welcomes public participation through a series of open rehearsals at BAM. See below for rehearsal details.
Remarks will also be shared by Citizens Youth Speaker Aponi Kafele, a current BAM Education participant in the Brooklyn Interns for Arts and Culture (BIAC) program and a senior at Essex Street Academy. Her voice reflects the next generation of visionary changemakers and underscores BAM’s and Citizens’ shared commitment to nurturing youth leadership and creative expression in the spirit of Dr. King.
Following the Tribute, the Brooklyn Music School’s intergenerational choir will perform on the steps of the Peter Jay Sharp Building, offering a musical interlude between the morning program and afternoon festivities. The celebration continues with a free screening of Just Mercy starring Michael B. Jordan at 1PM in BAM Rose Cinemas, and interactive family programming from BAMkids in The Adam Space at BAMcafé (Peter Jay Sharp Building, 30 Lafayette Ave).
Additional Events
BAMkids Celebrates MLK Day
Nurturing the Seeds of Resilience
Monday, January 19 |11:45AM, 1:30PM & 3PM
The Adam Space (BAMcafé), Peter Jay Sharp Building (30 Lafayette Ave.)
Ages 6+ | Free with registration
This joyful, hands-on family program invites children and caregivers to explore Dr. King’s legacy through creativity, movement, and shared storytelling. Inspired by his belief in the strength of hope and collective action, kids will take part in engaging activities across three timed sessions and an ongoing mural design. Co-curated with the BAMkids Parent Advisory Circle the sessions include:
- Run, Walk, Crawl—Just Move!, a movement-based session led by artists Adia Whitaker and Jashua Sa-Ra, inspired by Dr. King’s words: “If you can’t fly, run; if you can’t run, walk; if you can’t walk, crawl; but by all means, keep moving.”
- Dear Future Me, a letter writing workshop where children craft messages to their future selves, led by educator and advocate Dr. Vibhuti Arya Amirfar. This reflective activity encourages resilience, imagination, and purpose.
- Dr. MLK Jr. Bingo, a lively, educational game exploring Dr. King’s life and message, guided by artists Jashua Sa-Ra and David C. Brown
- CommUNITY Tape Mural: Garden of Joy, an ongoing activity throughout the day where families contribute to a collaborative mural celebrating community and creativity. Designed and led by visual artist Kyung Jeon-Miranda.
Film Screening
Just Mercy
Dir. Destin Daniel Cretton (2019, 137 min)
Monday, January 19 | 1PM
BAM Rose Cinemas (30 Lafayette Ave.)
Free (Tickets distributed first-come)
Based on the bestselling memoir by civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, Just Mercy tells the powerful true story of a young lawyer who defends Walter McMillian, a Black man wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to death in Alabama. The film stars Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, and Brie Larson, and shines a light on racial injustice in the American legal system.
Ticket Information
All programming is free and open to the public. Tickets for the Tribute will be distributed on a first-come, first-seated basis starting at 8AM in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House lobby. Registration is required for BAMkids programming. Tickets for the film will be distributed first-come.
Community Choir Rehearsals with The Fire Ensemble
Celebrating Black musical traditions and BIPOC and queer voices, The Fire Ensemble invites community members to lend their voices to this year’s MLK Tribute and perform on the BAM stage. Open rehearsals will be held in The Adam Space at BAM’s Peter Jay Sharp Building (30 Lafayette Ave) on Tuesday, January 6, Wednesday, January 7, Tuesday, January 13, and Wednesday, January 14, all from 6 to 8PM. A final mandatory rehearsal will take place on Sunday, January 18. No prior choir experience is required, and participants must attend at least three rehearsals plus the final rehearsal to perform in the January 19 program. For more information and registration, click here.For more information and registration, click here.
