Dartmouth’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations this month will feature a keynote address by voting rights activist, social justice advocate, and best-selling author Stacey Abrams.

Abrams’ speech, set for 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 22 at the Hanover Inn, will focus on “Moral Courage in the Face of Change and Uncertainty,” the theme of Dartmouth’s 2025 MLK events, says Senior Vice President and Senior Diversity Officer Shontay Delalue. 

The keynote hosted by the Division of Institutional Diversity and Equity will explore how individuals and communities can demonstrate integrity and resilience during times of profound difficulty. Abrams’ talk will also be available by livestream to anyone with a valid Dartmouth email address and NetID or who is a Dartmouth alum.

“During any time of polarization, fostering hope and unity is vitally important,” Delalue says. “As Dartmouth honors Dr. King’s legacy and seeks to apply his teachings to current challenges, Stacey Abrams’ work as a leader and champion of democracy and social justice offers an inspiring example.” 

Abrams served 11 years in the Georgia House of Representatives, including seven years as minority leader, and was the Democratic nominee for governor in Georgia in 2018 and 2022. She is credited with helping to dramatically increase voter participation among young people and people of color in the state.

Abrams has launched nonprofits devoted to protecting democracy, promoting voter engagement, tackling social issues, and building a more equitable future in the South and across the country. With her longtime business partner, Lara Hodgson, she has co-founded a consulting firm, a beverage company, and a financial services firm. In 2022, Abrams and Hodgson published Level Up, a guidebook for entrepreneurs.

Abrams is also CEO of the entertainment production company Sage Works Productions, Inc. She conceptualized and produced the documentary All In: The Fight for Democracy, which was shortlisted for an Academy Award. 

Among her books are New York Times bestsellers Our Time is Now and Lead from the Outside, political thrillers While Justice Sleeps and Rogue Justice, and several romantic suspense novels and children’s books. A sought-after speaker, Abrams’ TED talk has received more than 6.9 million views and she now hosts a podcast, Assembly Required With Stacey Abrams. 

Abrams’ keynote will be followed by a moderated conversation.

Other MLK events

The Dartmouth celebration of King’s legacy also includes:

• Performances by artist and playwright Inua Ellams of his show Search Party, a Hopkins Center for the Arts event, at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 10, and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 11 at Theater on Currier.
• “I am the Dream: the Past, Present, and Future,” an awards luncheon hosted by Geisel School of Medicine, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 17 in Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center auditorium E and F. The annual event recognizes individuals or organizations who have strengthened communities and created solutions to social problems, advancing King’s vision of a “beloved community.” The keynote speaker will be Gerald Onuoha, Guarini ’15, an internal medicine hospitalist in Nashville, Tenn., who was named one of the top 10 doctors under 40 by the National Medical Association in 2023, and received the Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Alumni Award in 2024.
• The Martin Luther King Jr. employee breakfast from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Jan. 20, in the Class of 1953 Commons North Dining Hall. The Rev. Nancy Vogele ’85 will share her experiences and perspectives related to this year’s theme. Registration is open for the breakfast, which is hosted by the Department of Human Resources.
• A FEEL-anthropy Fair presented by the Office of Pluralism and Leadership and the National Pan-Hellenic Council on Jan. 21. Students, staff, and faculty members are invited to learn about the National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations’ service work and about service and community engagement opportunities with campus and Upper Valley organizations.
• The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Multifaith Community Celebration from 5 to 6 p.m. on Jan. 23 at Rollins Chapel will feature keynote speaker La-Tarri Canty, associate dean of community life and inclusivity, student speakers, the words of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the Dartmouth College Gospel Choir, the Dartmouth Rockapellas, and SOYEYA African Dance Troupe. The service is sponsored by the William Jewett Tucker Center.

On Jan. 7, author Maya Wiley ’86 and Cheryl Bascomb ’82, vice president for alumni relations, discussed Wiley’s new memoir, Remember, You Are A Wiley. The conversation and Q&A was hosted by the Dartmouth Book Club, which will continue to explore the memoir through weekly online discussions, culminating with an online conversation at noon on March 10 sponsored by The Institute for Black Intellectual and Cultural Life.

For more information and additional event listings, visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration website.