The annual Johns Hopkins Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration, in its 39th year, will be held virtually from Jan. 11 to 15, 2021. The weeklong celebration, organized this year around a central theme of "Now Is the Time for Hope and Healing," will embody the inspiring essence of awards ceremonies held in years past and will include daily events and activities designed for all members of the Johns Hopkins community.
The week will include the recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Awards recipients, individuals from the Hopkins community nominated and honored for their outstanding contributions assisting people in need. More information about events and programming is available on the Inside Hopkins website.
Image caption: Opening remarks from Johns Hopkins University President Ronald J. Daniels and a spirited performance of "Oh Happy Day" from the Unified Voices choir of Johns Hopkins.
Video credit: Johns Hopkins Medicine
The annual commemoration event, traditionally held on the university's East Baltimore campus, celebrates the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the spirit of service at Johns Hopkins. The event was founded by Levi Watkins Jr., a dedicated civil rights advocate and the first Black chief resident of cardiac surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He made medical history by implanting the first automatic heart defibrillator in a patient in 1980. Watkins died in 2015 at age 70.
