Martin Luther King Day at Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum will pay tribute to the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr with a special presentation to honor the iconic civil rights leader.

Actor Reggie Guyton will recite Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech on Monday, January 19, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. in the museum’s plaza.

King originally delivered the speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963 during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in Washington, D.C. He praised Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation as “a great beacon of hope” but said African Americans were still chained by segregation and discrimination.

After the speech… stop by the Illinois Gallery to see our copy of the Emancipation Proclamation on display and join ALPLM 19th Century Historian Dr. Racquel Henry for an informal “Four Score and More” presentation at 11:15 a.m. She will discuss the connections between King’s speech, the Emancipation Proclamation and the Lincoln Memorial, then answer questions from visitors.

Both presentations are included in your regular museum admission.

The mission of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is to inspire civic engagement through the diverse lens of Illinois history and share with the world the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. We pursue this mission through a combination of rigorous scholarship and high-tech showmanship built on the bedrock of the ALPLM’s unparalleled collection of historical materials – roughly 13 million items from all eras of Illinois history.

For more information, visit www.PresidentLincoln.illinois.gov. You can follow the ALPLM on Facebook, X/Twitter and Instagram.