
The 40th Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Mon, Jan 19, 2026
FREE
- Part of
- Winter/Spring 2026
Celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at this quintessential Brooklyn tradition. Our inspiring annual celebration is back for the 40th year and features powerful remarks by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II; a special solo performance from Grace by Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, A Dance Company; a musical performance by The Fire Ensemble; and more.
Link arms with friends, neighbors, artists, and civic leaders for a day of reflection, family-friendly activities, and celebration of all who carry Dr. King’s vision of justice and equality forward.
The tribute continues throughout the day with a free screening of Just Mercy at 1pm at BAM Rose Cinemas, a performance by the Brooklyn Music School’s intergenerational choir on the steps of the Peter Jay Sharp Building, and family-friendly activities presented by BAMkids in The Adam Space. See below to learn more.
Sing with The Fire Ensemble during our celebration of Dr. King!
The Fire Ensemble is an intergenerational choir that centers BIPOC and queer folx. They will host five community rehearsals at BAM prior to the program on January 19. Rehearsals will take place in The Adam Space on the following dates:
Tue, Jan 6, 6—8pm
Wed, Jan 7, 6—8pm
Tue, Jan 13, 6—8pm
Wed, Jan 14, 6—8pm
Sun, Jan 18, 4—8pm
In order to perform on January 19, singers must attend at least three rehearsals, one of which must be the rehearsal on January 18. Everyone is welcome at rehearsal, even if they can’t sing on the day of the tribute. Sign up here!
Link arms with friends, neighbors, artists, and civic leaders for a day of reflection, family-friendly activities, and celebration of all who carry Dr. King’s vision of justice and equality forward.
The tribute continues throughout the day with a free screening of Just Mercy at 1pm at BAM Rose Cinemas, a performance by the Brooklyn Music School’s intergenerational choir on the steps of the Peter Jay Sharp Building, and family-friendly activities presented by BAMkids in The Adam Space. See below to learn more.
Sing with The Fire Ensemble during our celebration of Dr. King!
The Fire Ensemble is an intergenerational choir that centers BIPOC and queer folx. They will host five community rehearsals at BAM prior to the program on January 19. Rehearsals will take place in The Adam Space on the following dates:
Tue, Jan 6, 6—8pm
Wed, Jan 7, 6—8pm
Tue, Jan 13, 6—8pm
Wed, Jan 14, 6—8pm
Sun, Jan 18, 4—8pm
In order to perform on January 19, singers must attend at least three rehearsals, one of which must be the rehearsal on January 18. Everyone is welcome at rehearsal, even if they can’t sing on the day of the tribute. Sign up here!
UPCOMING Performances
VENUE
ACCESSIBILITY
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets are free for this event and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 8am on January 19 in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House lobby. Please note that providing an RSVP does not guarantee entry.
All performances will adhere to protocols developed in accordance with New York State regulations and in consultation with medical professionals for the safety of our artists, audiences, and staff.
RSVP
Leadership support for
BAM’s strategic initiatives provided by:
Leadership support for
BAM Access Programs provided by
the Jerome L. Greene Foundation
Leadership support for
BAM programming provided by:
Lead Sponsor of
The 40th Annual Tribute to
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. provided by: ![]()
Leadership support for
BAM Community programs provided by
The Thompson Family Foundation
-
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II“William Barber is the closest person we have to Martin Luther King, Jr. in our midst.” —Dr. Cornel West
Bishop William J. Barber II is President and Senior Lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, Bishop with The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, Executive Board Member of the Christian Church Disciples of Christ, and Professor in the Practice of Public Theology and Public Policy and Founding Director of the Center for Public Theology and Public Policy at Yale Divinity School. He is the Co-Chair of the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call For Moral Revival, and a Kettering Foundation Senior Fellow. He is the author of five books: We Are Called To Be A Movement; Revive Us Again: Vision and Action in Moral Organizing; The Third Reconstruction: Moral Mondays, Fusion Politics, and the Rise of a New Justice Movement; and Forward Together: A Moral Message For The Nation. His most recent book, White Poverty: How Exposing Myths About Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy, was released in June 2024. -
Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, A Dance CompanyFounded in 1985 by Ronald K. Brown, and based in Brooklyn, Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, A Dance Company merges traditional African dance with contemporary choreography and spoken word. Ronald K. Brown has choreographed for Ailey, Philadanco, and more. His recent work set to Max Roach’s Percussion Bittersweet premiered in 2024. The company tours internationally and serves over 30,000 annually through performance and education. -
The Fire Ensemble led by Troy AnthonyThe Fire Ensemble Inc. is a community-centered production company that creates revolutionary new work rooted in music, ritual, and revelation through choirs that foster collective liberation. At the core of the company is The Fire Ensemble, an intergenerational pop-up choir community that centers BIPOC and queer folx. The ensemble rehearses, workshops, and performs in transformative, large-scale music theater works and rituals that are rooted in predominantly Black musical styles like gospel, R&B, and musical theater. -
Troy AnthonyTroy Anthony is a Kentucky-born composer, director, and theater-maker based in NYC rigorously practicing Black queer joy. He is the Founding Creative Director of Fire Ensemble Inc., where he focuses on the intersection between music theater, community practice, and social justice. He has presented work at 54 Below, JACK, Joe’s Pub, Prospect Theater Company, and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater. Commissions include 5th Avenue Theater, The Civilians, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Public Theater, St. Louis Rep, and The Shed. Troy has over 15 years of experience in youth and community development work with organizations such as the Kentucky Center's Governor’s School for the Arts, the Vermont Governor's Institute on the Arts, and the Public Theater. He was the first Director of Legacy and Internship Programs at the DreamYard Project in the Bronx, where he focused on the importance of emerging leadership. -
Brooklyn Music SchoolFounded in 1910, Brooklyn Music School is a non-profit community school of the performing arts chartered by the State University of New York in 1912. The school is a founding member of the National Guild of Community Schools for the Arts and continues to provide quality performing arts instruction well into its 115th year. Brooklyn Music School owns and operates its historic four-story brownstone building in the heart of the thriving Downtown Brooklyn Cultural District. The school’s landmark facility includes private lesson classrooms, dance studios, and a professional 266-seat Spanish-style theatre.
RELATED EVENTS
-
Kids | CommunityBAMkids Celebrates MLK Day: Nurturing the Seeds of Resilience
Mon, Jan 19, 2026
BAMkids Celebrates MLK Day: Nurturing the Seeds of Resilience
Mon, Jan 19, 2026FREEHonor Dr. King’s legacy at this day of creativity, movement, and joyful community building. -
FilmJust Mercy
Mon, Jan 19, 2026
Just Mercy
Mon, Jan 19, 2026Based on the memoir of lawyer and social justice activist Bryan Stevenson, Just Mercy tells the tale of Walter McMillian, a black man wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to death.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY
-
TheaterHamlet
Apr 19—May 17, 2026
Hamlet
Apr 19—May 17, 2026The National Theatre’s Robert Hastie (Operation Mincemeat) directs this witty and fearlessly contemporary take starring Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi). -
MusicStevie: A Life in the Key of Songs
May 14—May 16, 2026
Stevie: A Life in the Key of Songs
May 14—May 16, 2026Premier musicians and world-renowned guests celebrate Stevie Wonder’s versatility and unstoppable imagination by performing his milestone five-album sequence from Music of My Mind to Songs in the Key of Life. -
DanceAlvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Jun 4—Jun 7, 2026
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Jun 4—Jun 7, 2026The company that has electrified audiences around the world returns to BAM with a celebration of joy, beauty, and the transformative power of dance.
SUPPORT BAM
-
MEMBERSHIPBAM Membership ($100+)
BAM Membership ($100+)
Enjoy half off stages and screens as a member. With valuable discounts, advance access to tickets, and invitations to special events, BAM Membership is your license to see more for less. -
SUPPORTBAM Patrons ($2,500+)
BAM Patrons ($2,500+)
Priority access to premium seats, personalized ticket services, exclusive invitations, and more.









