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The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Foundation of Jacksonville, Florida, a 501(c)3 organization, was founded on January 30, 1989. The forerunner of the Foundation (an ad hoc committee) celebrated MLK Day in 1981, five years before MLK's birthday became a national holiday.

The parade celebration that honors the legacy and memory of Dr. King is held annually on the third Monday of January. It looms as the oldest continuous event of its ilk (in the city of Jacksonville) as it is a "peace, freedom, and diversity parade." Elementary schools, childcare centers, boy/girl scout troops, high school clubs, sororities, social clubs, small businesses, step groups, bicyclists, skaters, campus queens, and an array of other interesting parties and individuals participate in the parade. The MLK Parade is a celebration of brotherhood, a celebration of peace, a celebration of faith,  a celebration of diversity, and a celebration of life.

MLK Day provides an increasingly rare opportunity for cross-section communication and engagement. We can meet, greet, and share ideas with the individuals and organizations growing and sustaining youth programs and activities in Jacksonville. 

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The Foundation also hosts "Juneteenth in Jacksonville." In 2023, we will celebrate the 11th anniversary of Juneteenth in Jacksonville, the Juneteenth Freedom Walk, and the 3rd annual Miss Juneteenth Scholarship Pageant (June 17, 2023).  

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Miss Juneteenth of Jacksonville, Micah Webster-Bass, the reigning Miss Juneteenth (2022) will compete to retain her crown in 2023.