Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative March, 2023

Alexis Lillie, Communications Director

Date: Monday, January 16, 2023

Time: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Starting Point: Swing Low: Harriet Tubman Memorial, West 122nd Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd

Ending Point: Manhattan Country School, 150 West 85th Street

Each year the 8th grade students of Manhattan Country School organize and lead a march inspired by the hopes and dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. At this year’s march, titled, The Power of Awareness: A March for Justice and Change, we will address social justice issues that the world needs to have a greater awareness of, discussing both the roots of those injustices and what each of us can do to move toward a place of greater equity.

This year's march will make five stops, starting in Harlem at the Harriet Tubman Memorial and ending at our very own Manhattan Country School. Each stop will have 2-5 speeches, where the Class of 2023 will share their ideas with other marchers and members of the community. Each student speech will examine their topic of choice as well as the relationality of their topic, location and personal connection to the issue. Some topics covered include systemic racism, the rise in antisemitism, access to mental health services, the climate crisis, and the assault on the LGBTQI+ community.

We invite you to march with us!

2023 MLK March Route:

Stop 1: Harriet Tubman Memorial (West 122nd Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard)
Stop 2: Frederick Douglass Circle (Frederick Douglass Boulevard at West 110th Street)
Stop 3: The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine (1047 Amsterdam Avenue)
Stop 4: Joan of Arc Monument (Riverside Drive at West 94th Street)
Stop 5: Soldiers and Sailors Memorial (Riverside Drive at West 89th Street)
Stop 6: Manhattan Country School (150 West 85th Street)

About Manhattan Country School

Manhattan Country School is an all-gender independent school on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. One of the most diverse independent schools in New York, MCS celebrates diversity in terms of culture, race, socioeconomic status, religion and sexual orientation. The school was founded in 1966 based on the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. and teaches students about the importance of activism, sustainability, leadership, creativity and most importantly, equity. The speeches given by eighth graders are the culmination of years of hard work and study on the topics of equity, activism, and leadership. The MCS MLK March is a testament to the importance of progressive education, giving our eighth graders an opportunity to practice and develop skills in speech, persuasive writing and public speaking, as they approach the final stretch to graduation in June.

An Important Safety Note

To ensure that everyone can participate safely in our march, masks are required at the final stop, which will be indoors, and encouraged outside when social distancing will not be possible.

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