Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2026
Most Reverend William E. Lori
Archbishop of Baltimore
January 19, 2026
Our national commemoration of the life of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., calls us to champion human equality and racial justice. Dr. King bore witness to the truth that God created all persons in his image and endowed them with inviolable dignity. Whether in the pulpit at Ebenezer Baptist Church or on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial or writing from the Birmingham jail, Reverend King challenged our nation to live up to its highest ideals by overcoming every form of racism. His message was strong and courageous but his method was non-violent. He called us – and still calls us – to stand together in the peaceful yet forceful pursuit of justice.
His message of racial justice and his principles of non-violence are more important and more timely than ever. In this age of political violence and vitriolic rhetoric, we, as a nation and as a community of faith, need to focus on his life and example. As we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, let us ask for the grace to be ardent yet peaceful in our pursuit of racial equality and in our quest for liberty and justice for all. Let us also ask that our church communities exemplify those ideals, both in word and deed.