Akron city officials have announced that all municipal offices will be closed on January 20 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, according to the official website of the City of Akron. This day of remembrance also affects city services, which includes a pause in curb service on holiday, with the one-day delay impacting trash and recycling collections for the week. Regular pick-up schedules are set to resume on Tuesday, January 21, and run through Saturday, January 25.
As the nation pays homage to the legacy of Dr. King, Akron has several events planned for community members to partake in. The Akron Art Museum is offering free admission from 11 am to 5 pm with activities designed for families. Similarly, the Akron Urban League is set to hold its annual MLK Breakfast, which marks a century of service to the community this year. Doors open at 7:30 am for the 8 am breakfast. For animal lovers, the Akron Zoo hosts a celebration of its own, free admission between 11 am and 4 pm, and a special temporary exhibit titled “Celebrating Black History in Perkins Woods,” according to the official website of the City of Akron.
Akron’s Mayor Shammas Malik, reflecting on the impact of Dr. King and the continuing struggle for justice, stated via the City of Akron’s official website, “Dr. King captured the attention of our nation during the Civil Rights Movement 60 years ago,” and urged community members “to pause on this day to remember Dr. King’s life and legacy and let us continuously recommit ourselves to the difficult but essential work of calling out injustice wherever it persists just as he did.” This statement was obtained from the announcement on the city’s website. In his message, Mayor Malik also emphasized, “We all have responsibility to be an active part of the solution.”…