MIT Daily, 15 January 2021: "A mural of Martin Luther King Jr., featuring a quote from his 1964 book, Why We Can’t Wait, is seen in Cambridge’s 'Graffiti Alley,' an ever-changing public art installation. MIT will be closed on Monday [January 18, 2021] to honor the memory and work of the civil rights leader."

Martin Luther King Day was designated an Institute holiday in 1976, a decade before its first official observance as a federal holiday. These public events paved the way for the MLK Visiting Professors and Scholars Program. 

Read more about the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. at MIT.