7 festive and inspirational celebrations for MLK Day 2019 in Houston By Craig D. Lindsey Jan 18, 2019, 2:40 pm 10 4 Rothko Chapel Visit Rothko Chapel for a reverent tribute to the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Photo courtesy of Rothko Chapel

While some may see Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a break from work or school, for many, it's a time to honor and salute the slain preacher/activist and all the work he put in during the civil rights movement.

Many organizations will be using this time as a day of service, giving back to the community or using their resources to do good somewhere, there will also be several, respectful MLK celebrations going on during the day that people can attend.

The Original MLK Day Parade Start the day off with this annual Houston tradition. The city's original holiday parade takes place in the downtown streets near City Hall. Held in partnership with the City of Houston and the Black Heritage Society, the parade will start on Lamar and Smith, next to Wells Fargo Plaza, and goes around the area, heading right up to Heritage Plaza. 10 am.

25th Annual MLK Grande Midtown Houston This parade will also be happening in midtown, one of the largest, single-day multicultural events in the U.S. that is held in honor of MLK Day. It will consist of 10 floats and 20 marching bands, and will feature more than 300 culturally diverse, performing groups from across the nation. The theme for the 2019 production is "It Takes A Village." 10 am.

MLK Day Brunches at The General Public and Cafe 4212 Two establishments will each be providing a celebratory, salutary brunch spread on this holiday. Start with The General Public, which will have its weekend brunch menu of enchiladas, steak and eggs, migas, and more. 10:30 am-2:30 pm. Meanwhile at Cafe 4212, there will be a tasty jazz brunch featuring the vocal stylings of Julie Johnson. 11 am.

MLK Day Celebration at the Children's Museum of Houston The Children's Museum of Houston will have a kid-friendly tribute (its 23rd annual tribute, to be exact) to Dr. King, complete with spirituals performed by the Ebony Opera Guild, a peace march and screenings of the educational film March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World. Also expect your usual host of children's activities. 10 am-6 pm.

MLK Memorial Caravan The Convict Leasing and Labor Project (CLLP) will have a caravan from to Sugar Land to Richmond on this day, honoring the 95 forced-labor prisoners who were buried — and later discovered — in Sugar Land. Participants will convene at the American Legion Hall for a brief program with food and a reenactment. 1-4:30 pm.

MLK Day at The Rothko Chapel The Rothko Chapel with play speeches from Dr. King's life throughout the day. Speeches, which of course will include his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech delivered at the Lincoln Memorial, will be projected both inside of the Chapel and on the Chapel plaza. It's free and open to the public. 11 am-5:30 pm.