Martin Luther King Day events on Long Island offer learning, service

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which this year falls on Jan. 17, was established as a holiday in 1983 to honor the legacy of the civil rights leader. Organizations across Long Island are offering opportunities for learning and service. Please call or email to confirm events.

SATURDAY

RIVERHEAD

PRESENTATION: MLK THROUGH MANY VOICES A program of speeches and writings of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.; his words are shared by men he inspired, including Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon, Suffolk County Community College Professor James Banks, East End NAACP President Larry Street, and the Rev. Charles Coverdale and Deacon Robert "Bubbie" Brown, both of the First Baptist Church of Riverhead; hosted by Town of Riverhead Anti-Bias Task Force; 10 a.m., Riverhead Library, 330 Court St., free, register to attend in person at riverheadlibrary.org, or on Zoom at bit.ly/3r9JqjT, 516-379-3274.

SUNDAY

FREEPORT

PRESENTATION: MLK VISIT TO LONG ISLAND Zebulon Vance Miletsky, associate professor of Africana Studies at Stony Brook University, speaks about the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s message sent to Long Islanders on March 26,1968, and shares what the message means for us today as we consider "the tasks yet to be done"; 2:30 p.m., hosted by Freeport Library; free, register for a link at freeportlibrary.info, 516-379-3274.

MIDDLE ISLAND

DAY OF SERVICE PROJECT Patrons can pick up a kit to create a no-sew fleece blanket to be donated to neighbors in need; Longwood Library, 800 Middle Country Rd.; free, register for a kit and a YouTube link no later than midnight Jan. 16, kits are available for pick up on Jan. 17, return your finished blanket by Jan. 28, longwoodlibrary.org, 631-924-6400.

ROSLYN

DISCUSSION The Friendship Baptist Church Worldwide and Bryant Library discuss and analyze the impact of leaders nationally and in the Roslyn community; they will explore the key components of being an effective leader and the role that leadership plays in amplifying the voices of the African American community and examine leaders from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to the late Bishop Victor Lewis, and discuss how their techniques have created opportunities for people to come together and grow; 2 p.m., hosted by Bryant Library, free, register for a link at bryantlibrary.org, 516-621-2240.

MONDAY

COLD SPRING HARBOR

MLK DAY OF SERVICE Join Kehillath Shalom Synagogue in preparing soup, sandwiches and cupcakes for Helping Hands Rescue Mission's Tuesday lunch program; children and adults are welcome, 11 a.m., Kehillath Shalom Synagogue, 58 Goose Hill Rd.; free, email ashs3@verizon.net or call 631-742-3142 to reserve, kehillathshalomsynagogue.org, 631-367-4589.

DEER PARK

FILM Online screening of the short documentary "Summers of Freedom: The Story of Martin Luther King Jr. in Connecticut" (2011, not rated, 15 min.), created by the Simsbury History Scholars; 11 to 11:30 a.m., hosted by Deer Park Library; free, visit facebook.com/deerparklibrary to view online, 631-586-3000.

DIX HILLS

CELEBRATION AND DAY OF SERVICE Join The Mothers Club of Wheatley Heights Inc. and The Concerned Fathers Association Inc. for a day of service to celebrate the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with poetry, music and songs; 2 to 3 p.m., hosted by Half Hollow Hills Community Library Dix Hills Branch; free, register for a link at hhhlibrary.org, 631-421-4530.

ELMONT

PERFORMANCE: THE DREAM BELIEVER Jerome "City" Smith and the City Sounds Music Ensemble celebrate the birthday and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.; limited seating, masks are required regardless of vaccination status, 2 p.m., Elmont Memorial Library, 700 Hempstead Tpke.; free, first-come, first-seated, enter through the theater doors, elmontlibrary.org, 516-354-5280.

GARDEN CITY

REFLECTION AND CRAFT: CHANGE THE WORLD Celebrate the life and work of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with a reflection of his legacy and make a painting focused on empowering you to change the world; for ages 3 and older, Long Island Children's Museum, 11 Davis Ave.; free, with museum admission of $15, $14 ages 65 and older; reserve a time from noon to 2 p.m. at licm.org, 516-224-5800.

HAUPPAUGE

MOVIE Screening of the biographical drama "Selma" (2014, rated PG-13, 2:08), starring David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo and Tim Roth; masks are required regardless of vaccination status, 2 to 4 p.m., Hauppauge Library, 1373 Veterans Memorial Hwy.; free, register at hauppaugelibrary.org, 631-979-1600.

HEMPSTEAD

REFLECTION PARADE AND CEREMONY Parade steps off at 9 a.m. at Kennedy Memorial Park, 335 Greenwich St., followed by a ceremony featuring keynote speaker and Hempstead native Lennitt Bligen at 10 a.m., Bethlehem Judea Church, 83 Greenwich St., presented by The United People Organization Inc. in conjunction with the Village of Hempstead; free, villageofhempstead.org, 917-520-2528, 516-478-6286.

LOCUST VALLEY

FILM Online screening of the historical biography "Martin Luther King Jr.: I Have a Dream" (2004, not rated, 22 min.), features highlights of major speeches given by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.; 9 a.m., hosted by Locust Valley Library; free, available on Kanopy, visit locustvalleylibrary.org for links, 516-671-1837.

OCEANSIDE

BUILD A BETTER WORLD A creative program for children; create a project, have a discussion and listen to a story about Martin Luther King Jr. Day and its meaning; 11 a.m., hosted by Friedberg JCC, free, must register by Jan. 16 at bit.ly/3qmngvw, for more information email glebeaux@friedbergjcc.org, friedbergjcc.org, 516-766-4341.

JAN. 27

PATCHOGUE

PRESENTATION: REFLECTIONS FROM THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT Hear from Susan Butler, a civil rights advocate who participated in the March on Washington, where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech; 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Patchogue-Medford Library, 54-60 E. Main St.; free, held in-person and on Zoom, register at pmlib.org, 631-654-4700.

Compiled by Gina Tabarus, with Sabrina Monroe, LaToya Rodriguez, Daniel Variano and Keri Wall-Treudler

By Gina Tabarus

gtabarus@newsday.com