BAM and Borough President Reynoso to Host 40th Annual Dr. King Tribute in Brooklyn

Brooklyn Academy of Music, in partnership with Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, will host the 40th Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, marking the city’s largest and longest-running public celebration honoring Dr. King’s life and legacy. The free, community-centered event begins at 10:30am at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, with doors opening at 8:00am. Seating is available on a first-come, first-seated basis.

This milestone year coincides with both the 40th anniversary of BAM’s tribute and the 40th year since the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday was first federally observed in 1986. The program will feature a keynote address by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, a nationally recognized civil rights leader, public theologian and co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. Barber’s address will center moral urgency, economic justice and collective action as core elements of Dr. King’s enduring legacy.

The tribute also includes a solo dance performance from Grace, the acclaimed work by Ronald K. Brown, performed by Khalia Campbell of Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE. The solo, titled Mother God, draws from the spiritual foundation of Brown’s choreography. Originally created for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Grace traces a goddess’s journey to Earth to offer compassion and light and has been recognized by The New York Times as part of the modern dance canon.

Music for the program will be provided by The Fire Ensemble, an intergenerational choir rooted in Black musical traditions and centered on BIPOC and queer voices. Led by composer and creative director Troy Anthony, the ensemble blends gospel, R&B and soul, inviting reflection, joy and collective participation. Community members are invited to join the choir through a series of open rehearsals at BAM leading up to the performance.

Remarks will also be delivered by Citizens Youth Speaker Aponi Kafele, a senior at Essex Street Academy and a participant in BAM Education’s Brooklyn Interns for Arts and Culture program, highlighting youth leadership and civic engagement inspired by Dr. King’s vision.

Following the tribute, the Brooklyn Music School’s intergenerational choir will perform on the steps of the Peter Jay Sharp Building. Afternoon programming continues with a free screening of Just Mercy at 1:00pm in BAM Rose Cinemas, along with interactive family activities hosted by BAMkids in The Adam Space at BAMcafé.

All events are free and open to the public. Registration is required for BAMkids programming and film tickets will be distributed on a first-come basis.