photo by: AP File

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington, Aug. 28, 1963.

The Lawrence Public Library, the Lawrence school district and other local groups in the next week will host a variety of events in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is coming up on Monday.

Here’s a roundup of some of the events on the calendar:

Thursday

• As part of its Martin Luther King Jr. Day programming, the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St., is hosting a presentation featuring staff with the Black Archives of Mid-America in Kansas City on Thursday, Jan. 11 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the library’s auditorium. The Black Archives’ CEO Carmaletta M. Williams and archivist Laura Darnell will speak about the history of the Archives and lead a discussion on their collections and the work they do in local communities.

Saturday

• “The Steps of a Good Man,” a locally produced play by Lawrence resident Rita Rials, will show at the Lied Center, Saturday, Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m. As the Journal-World has reported, the play is an intergenerational story centered on an elderly man who shares his experiences with the civil rights movement from his front porch. Tickets cost $25 and are available on the Life Restoration Ministries Foundation website.

Monday

• Jayhawk Breakfast Rotary Club and Lawrence Ecumenical Fellowship’s 17th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Breakfast at Maceli’s Banquet Hall, 1031 New Hampshire St., at 7:30 a.m. Tickets cost $10 and are available on the Maceli’s website. Organizers are encouraging attendees to buy tickets online before the event to expedite the check-in process, reduce the chance of long lines the morning of the event and guarantee a spot. People with questions or issues purchasing tickets online can call 785-331-2096 to purchase tickets over the phone.

• The Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St., is partnering with the United Way of Kaw Valley, the Black Archives of Mid-America in Kansas City, Barry Washboard Barnes, Ian Cook, Zydeco Tougeau, B.L.A.C.K. Lawrence, Taco Zone and the Kansas Volunteer Commission to host a series of events geared toward Martin Luther King Jr. Day throughout Monday.

Events will start with a story time led by poet and musician Barry Barnes from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. in the library auditorium. From 11:15 a.m. to noon, the library will offer an MLK Day-themed craft for kids in the library’s Readers’ Theater. From 11:30 a.m. to noon, Zydeco Tougeau will perform in the library’s atrium. Taco Zone will provide a free taco bar for up to 100 people from noon to 1 p.m. in the library’s auditorium, first come, first served. Local musician and writer Ian Cook will also perform during the lunch hour. Lastly, B.L.A.C.K. Lawrence will host an open mic event from 2 to 3 p.m. in the library’s auditorium. Interested participants can sign up to perform via an online form.

In addition to Monday’s events, the library is hosting a donation drive for Just Food and the Treatment and Recovery Center of Douglas County through Monday. For Just Food, the library is asking for nonperishable, unopened pantry items such as peanut butter, pasta, canned meats, beans, tomato sauce and cereal. For the TRC, the library is looking for unused blankets and sleeping bags.

Thursday, Jan. 18

• On Thursday, Jan. 18, the Lawrence school district will host its annual “One Dream MLK Celebration” at the Lied Center, 1600 Stewart Drive. The theme of this year’s event — which honors students, school staff and community members with awards for making a positive difference in their schools and the community — is “Together We Are The Dream — United As One Voice.”

A gallery for the event opens at 6 p.m., and the celebration begins at 7 p.m. Award-winning illustrator Nikkolas Smith will be the guest speaker for the evening. Smith’s picture book, “The Artivist,” is about how children can combine art and activism in their daily lives, and it’ll be used as a districtwide resource. Smith will also sign books following the program and is slated to visit eight schools for performances during his visit to Lawrence.

• The United Way of Kaw Valley will host an MLK Day Conference from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 18 at the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, 1421 Research Park Drive. The one-day event is designed to bring Douglas County community members together for community-centered professional and personal development opportunities.

Participants will hear from keynote speaker Teresa Clounch — associate vice president for student life, dean of students and diversity officer at Washburn University — and will take part in break-out sessions about topics like community leadership, led by Black:30. Participants will also take part in a service project assembling personal care product kits for people seeking services through the Ballard Center, Community Children’s Center, Douglas County CASA, the Lawrence Community Shelter and The Willow Domestic Violence Center.

Advance registration is required and costs $20 per person.