University of Richmond Hosts MLK Celebration

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND — The University of Richmond’s 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration will be held on January 20.

Free and open to the public, this event celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. features a keynote address from Makola M. Abdullah, president of Virginia State University. Abdullah is a higher education leader whose work centers on student success, access, and social justice.

The program will be held in Ukrop Auditorium at the Robins School of Business at 6 p.m. with a reception to follow. 

“Dr. King reminded us that we are bound together in a web of mutuality,” said Monica M. Smith, vice president for inclusion & belonging. “This year’s MLK Jr. Celebration invites our campus and community to remember the past, reflect on the present, and inspire dialogue as we continue to build a relentlessly welcoming University of Richmond — one strengthened by our shared humanity and collective responsibility.”

“This celebration provides an opportunity to reflect on Dr. King’s enduring impact,” said Aaliyah McLean, associate director of operations in inclusion & belonging. “It will be an evening of learning and connection that inspires continued dialogue and invites us to carry forward Dr. King’s work of justice, belonging, and service on our campus and within our broader community.”

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