‘UK at the Half’: The 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 16, 2026) — On Jan. 19, thousands will gather for the annual Freedom March in Lexington at 1 p.m., followed by the commemorative program at 2 p.m. at Central Bank Center.
For this “UK at the Half,” we hear from Ja’Mahl McDaniel, director of the University of Kentucky Martin Luther King Center, about how he believes the Freedom March is one of the most visible ways the Rev. Martin Luther King’s vision comes to life each year.
The 2026 MLK Holiday Observance is free and open to the public. Community members can learn more or support the celebration at the MLK Day Committee website.
“UK at the Half” airs during halftime of each UK football and basketball game broadcast on the radio and is hosted by UK Public Relations and Marketing. To hear the “UK at the Half” interview, click the play button above.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.