Days of Service for MLK Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not only a time for reflection—it is also a call to action. Across the country, individuals, schools, and organizations observe the holiday through days of service that strengthen communities and uplift others. Below, you’ll find ideas for how you can incorporate days of service in your life, in your classroom, and in your community.
Dr. King once asked, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” That question continues to resonate today, perhaps now as much as ever before. It challenges each of us to use our time and talents to create positive change. Few professions embody this spirit of service more fully than teaching.
3 Ways Students Can Honor MLK Day Through Days of Service
Looking to incorporate days of service into your classroom? These activities help students connect Dr. King’s legacy to real-world action.
Participate in a Service Project
Students can organize food drives, support local shelters, write thank-you notes to community helpers, or help clean public spaces. These hands-on service projects reflect Dr. King’s commitment to helping others and building stronger communities.
Learn About Dr. King’s Legacy
Encourage students to read books, watch documentaries, or attend local events focused on Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement. Students can reflect through discussion, presentations, or writing to deepen their understanding of his impact.
Create Artwork or Writing Inspired by Service
Students can express what Dr. King’s message means to them through essays, poems, posters, or artwork. Displaying their work helps spark conversation and reinforces themes of justice, equity, and compassion.
3 Ways Teachers Can Incorporate MLK Day
For educators, MLK Day offers an opportunity to extend the daily service of teaching into focused moments of reflection and action.
Teach Lessons on Social Justice and Civic Responsibility
Create lessons that connect Dr. King’s principles to modern-day issues. Encourage thoughtful discussion around fairness, leadership, activism, and community responsibility.
Facilitate a Classroom or School-Wide Day of Service
Guide students in identifying local needs and brainstorming meaningful ways to help. Even small, age-appropriate projects can show students how service creates real impact.
Introduce Primary Sources
Use Dr. King’s speeches and writings—such as “I Have a Dream” or “Letter from Birmingham Jail”—to encourage critical thinking and discussion. Primary sources help students engage directly with his words and ideas.
I cherish fostering student growth and the impact I can make in my classroom every day.
—Carlie Clarke, Teacher and American Board Graduate
3 Ways the General Public Can Honor MLK Day
Not an educator? Days of service on MLK Day are for everyone.
Volunteer in Your Community
Support local organizations, educational programs, food pantries, or community initiatives. Service can take many forms, all of which contribute to a stronger society.
Consider Teaching as a Form of Service
Teaching is one of the most direct ways to make a lasting impact. If you are exploring meaningful career paths, becoming a teacher allows you to serve students and communities every day. Learn more by visiting AmericanBoard.org.
Attend or Host Educational Events
Participate in marches, forums, or community celebrations honoring Dr. King. These events promote awareness, reflection, and unity—values central to his vision.
By embracing days of service on MLK Day, we honor Dr. King not only through words, but through action. Whether in classrooms, schools, or communities, service helps carry forward his vision of a more compassionate, equitable, and empowered society.
