Spa City celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. with four days of events

SARATOGA, N.Y.(NEWS10) – As the nation prepares to honor the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy, Monday January 16. MLK Saratoga is sponsoring four days of events in the Spa City to commemorate King’s birthday.

“A channel for stories we didn’t know we needed to tell till you sang it and I mean sang, sang and shine black woman Shine the sun ain’t got nothing on you,” recited D.Colin.

The words of local artist D. Colin inspiring the audience before Saturday night’s conversation with esteemed author and journalist, Danyel Smith, former Vibe and Billboard magazine’s, first African American female editor to talk about the Roots and Revolution of Black Women in Pop as folks celebrate the legacy of Dr. King.

“He was a lover of black pop music, and he was especially into the way music could make social change happen,” said Smith.

Skidmore College and Yaddo, a local artist community, teaming up with SPAC for Saturday’s installment of the D. King Celebration Weekend. SPAC for the first time opening its Pines venue in winter in order to host.  MLK Saratoga Planning Board member Beth Rowen tells NEWS10 she is overwhelmed with tonight’s success.

“Is the first time since 2020 that we’re in person and I was a little nervous about people wanting to show up because I know that there’s been some complacency. But wow! We sold out and I’m so pleased,” said Rowen.

Saturday’s talk drew in more than 100 people.

“I think anytime that you listen to something that you love and learn a little bit about behind the scenes of it, you just feel like that much more in the know,” said the Special Projects Coordinator at Yaddo, Angela Schlansker.

And Smith says she hopes attendees lean into the legacy of MLK and music.

“I hope that people remember just how much music impacts social change and that they can really think about that when they’re listening to music really from any era from the 1940s and Beyond,” said Smith.

MLK Saratoga has three-days of celebrations and NEWS10 will follow the events surrounding Dr. King’s legacy as one of America’s greatest proponents for equality.