DURHAM, N.C. – Honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is the purpose of the annual Durham City-County Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Employee Observance. The celebration, jointly hosted by the City of Durham and Durham County, will take place on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. The event will begin at 11 a.m. inside First Presbyterian Church located at 305 E. Main Street in downtown Durham.

Dr. Karrie G. Dixon, Chancellor of North Carolina Central University, will be the keynote speaker for the 21^st annual celebration event. Dr. Dixon is the 13th chancellor of NCCU. Before her appointment, she served as the 12th chief executive officer and 7th chancellor of Elizabeth City State University. As a seasoned senior administrator in the University of North Carolina System, Dr. Dixon has served in a higher education leadership role since 2008.  A nationally respected higher education leader, Dr. Dixon serves on multiple state and national boards and has received numerous honors, including the Old North State Award and the William C. Friday Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Dignity of Work: Honoring Dr. King’s Legacy of Service and Equality is the event theme for 2026. The 2026 Durham City-County Martin Luther King Jr. Employee Observance seeks to reflect on how this principle continues to guide our shared mission in local government and public service.

The community is invited to join the event which will include remarks from local leaders and elected officials. Musical selections will be provided by singer by Stellar Music Award nominee and gospel artist, Kim Person.

This program is free and open to the public. For more information about the program, contact the Durham County Manager’s Office at 919-560-0000 or email publicinformationoffice@dconc.gov.