Mercer County To Celebrate MLK Jr. Day As Other Cities Mobilize

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — On Monday, events in Mercer County will honor the life and legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. In some U.S. cities, however, people plan to forgo the celebration of the federal holiday to take a stand in support of voting rights.

Last month, the family of the late civil rights activist called on President Joe Biden and members of the U.S. Senate to either restore and expand voting rights in honor of King's legacy or skip the celebration of his namesake holiday.

Fueling the King family’s call are at least 400 voter suppression bills introduced during the first five months of 2021, 33 of which were put into law across 19 states, according to a report by Insider citing data from the Voting Rights Lab.

In response, the Kings are demanding meaningful action on the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. They also asked Biden to "ensure the Jim Crow filibuster doesn't stand in the way."

RELATED: No MLK Jr. Day Without Action On Voting Rights, King Family Says

The Freedom to Vote Act would create a national standard for voting access, overruling many restrictions passed or proposed in states. Meanwhile, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would restore and strengthen parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 after certain portions of the bill were struck down by two U.S. Supreme Court decisions.

While passed by thin margins in the U.S. House of Representatives, both bills remain stuck in the Senate, blocked primarily by Republican opposition.

To encourage the Senate to pass both bills, demonstrations are planned Saturday in Phoenix, Arizona, and Monday in Washington, D.C. More than 100 grassroots organizations have joined the Kings’ call to action.

"Voting is an essential part of our democracy's infrastructure," Arndrea Waters King said in a statement. Waters King is the wife of Martin Luther King III, the son of the slain civil rights icon.

“We cannot afford for it to crumble any further," she added.

Just days ahead of MLK Jr. Day, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris visited Atlanta Tuesday to talk about the voting rights bills — bills Biden called a "turning point."

In an excerpt of his speech released by the White House, Biden said, "The next few days, when these bills come to a vote, will mark a turning point in this nation. Will we choose democracy over autocracy, light over shadow, justice over injustice? I know where I stand. I will not yield. I will not flinch. I will defend your right to vote and our democracy against all enemies foreign and domestic. And so the question is where will the institution of (the) United States Senate stand?"

RELATED: Biden To Senate On Voting Rights Bills: 'Pass It Now'

It’s unclear whether the Senate will vote on either bill ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Here’s a look at a few other events in Mercer County intended to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.:

Bagel Breakfast and Art Making, The Arts Council of Princeton: The Arts Council of Princeton is partnering with the Historical Society of Princeton for an annual event celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, on Monday, Jan. 17 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. The free event includes a grab-and-go bagel breakfast, family-friendly art-making, and a canned food drive to benefit RISE Food Pantry. Visit the HSP website to learn about the history of three different protests in Princeton (Jugtown March, April 19, 1870; Woolworth Protest, March 12, 1960; March on Washington, August 28, 1963) Click here for more information on the Arts Council website.

MLK Day Multifaith Service, Coalition of Peace Action: On Monday, Jan. 17, there will be an online multifaith service to commemorate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Rev. Dr. David Latimore, Director of the Betsey Stockton Center for Black Church Studies at Princeton Theological Seminary is this year's preacher. Diverse faith leaders from a wide range of traditions will co-lead the worship service. Among the faith traditions represented by the faith leaders co-leading the Service are AME, Baha’i, Baptist, Christian Science, Jewish, Muslim, Episcopal, Presbyterian, and United Church of Christ. Click here for the Zoom link.

A Day of Service in Nature, Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve: On Jan. 17, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Friends of Princeton Open Space is hosting A Day of Service in Nature, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Volunteers will work under the guidance of Natural Resources and Stewardship Director Anna Corichi to remove invasive plants and install deer-exclusion caging around native tree and shrub saplings. All ages are welcome. In addition to pre-registering here, complete a Volunteer Application and Waiver.

MLK Day of Service, Hopewell Gives Back: On Martin Luther King Day, Hopewell Gives Back will bring together people of all ages in the community to volunteer. They will participate in various activities run by numerous nonprofits in the area. Volunteers will make fleece blankets, bake cookies, make native plant seed bombs, put together sanitary packages, and more. They will also be collecting canned food. For details, click here.

MLK Day of Service, West Windsor Arts: West Windsor Arts is partnering with the African American Parent Support Group (AAPSG) and the WW-P youth chapter of the NAACP to create a “day on, not a day off.” The goal is to follow the example set by Dr. King to contribute to the community through our service. For more details, click here.

MLK Day of Service, HomeFront, Lawrenceville: HomeFront is offering two virtual events on Monday, Jan. 17. From 10 a.m. - 11 a.m., prepare snack bags for homeless families through Zoom. From 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. join HomeFront for a virtual guided art workshop. More details and Zoom links can be found here.