The most visible figure in the nation’s Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and ’60s, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through nonviolence and remains one of the most-influential figures in American history. After his assassination on April 4, 1968, King was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal, and the nation observes the federal holiday Martin Luther King Jr. Day annually in January to honor his courageous work toward freedom and equality. Throughout the month of January, there are many events celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Miami.

Dr. King's Miami Retreat: Historic Hampton House

King visited Miami regularly and would stay at the Historic Hampton House in Liberty City. The hotel was the place to be for the Black community in Miami, and other notables who stayed there included Muhammad Ali, Sammy Davis, Jr., Jackie Robinson and many others. In fact, King delivered an early version of his “I Have a Dream” speech at the Hampton House in 1960.

Miami's Pioneering Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: A Legacy of Unity

In 1977, under the leadership of Preston Marshall Jr., Miami was the first city in the country to organize a Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade. Marshall was a contemporary of King and marched alongside him during the Civil Rights Movement. Today, the parade through Liberty City features floats, marching bands, dancers, student-athletes and community leaders. It culminates in a festival at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park, where a statue of the reverend has been erected.

North Miami Beach erected a statue of King in March 2023 to honor his fight for civil rights. The monument, in Martin Luther King Park at 155th Terrace and NE 16th Avenue, is strategically placed in what residents called “the alley,” where a wall separated Blacks from Whites during segregation. Today, the area is a beautiful green space where King’s likeness is a reminder of the fight for equality.

Discovering Miami's MLK Jr. Boulevard: Culture, Cuisine and Community

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard runs east to west along NW 62nd Street from Biscayne Boulevard to Hialeah, through Liberty City as well as neighboring Little Haiti and Brownsville. In Liberty City, you’ll find MLK Restaurant, which pays homage to Dr. King and offers diners home-cooked soul food. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is also where the Marshall L. Davis, Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center is located in Liberty City. The center, which opened in 1975, features an auditorium, art and dance studios and an exhibition area. It’s dedicated to the community’s artists and children in order to nurture and display their talents and creative ambitions.

Located between NW 32nd Avenue and NW 32nd Court just south of NW 62nd Street, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park is a lovely green space in Liberty City that pays tribute to the work of Dr. King.

Honoring Dr. King with a Mural in Liberty City

Dr. King is honored along NW 62nd Street at NW 7th Avenue with a mural, titled “Prince of Peace,” by the late artist Oscar Thomas. Painted in black and white, the mural depicts several images of Dr. King in oration. There’s a dove flying with an olive branch, the symbol for peace, and a quote that reads: “Like anybody I’d like to live a long life.. / But it doesn’t matter now. / I’ve been to the mountaintop / And I’ve seen the Promised Land. / I may not get there with you, / But..we as a people will get / to the Promised Land.” It’s a powerful symbol of the Civil Rights movement and particularly close to the heart of the residents of Liberty City.

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