MLK Day 2025: Designing the Future

MLK Day 2025: Designing the Future invites all to creatively envision a more equitable and sustainable future, drawing inspiration from the legacy of Floyd McKissick, Sr., and his ambitious vision for Soul City, NC. McKissick, a North Carolina native, attorney, and civil rights leader, sought to create a thriving, self-sustaining community that would provide equal opportunity for Black Americans during the 1970s. This year's MLK Day celebration honors the themes of this home-state hero’s visionary work and explores its impact through a series of art workshops, performances, thought-provoking discussions, and more.

Image courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Central to the celebration is a panel featuring our namesake Harvey Gantt, Charlotte's first Black mayor, an early co-designer of Soul City, and law professor Thomas Healy, author of Soul City: Race, Equality, and the Lost Dream of an American Utopia. The day's celebration will include other local and regional thought leaders who innovatively push equity forward. Together we will examine the project's history, the lessons it holds for today, and how we can continue McKissick's work in our own communities.

Through this celebration, we encourage reflection on the past and foster collective input on how to forge a more just and inclusive society. By engaging with the insights of scholars and living historical figures, the event provides an opportunity to critically analyze the patterns of inequality while also laying the blueprint for a future shaped by creativity, community, and collaboration. The Gantt is proud to host this important exploration through art, dialogue, and public engagement, in which all are welcome.

Our event partners include the UNC-Charlotte Chorale, Three Bone Theatre, Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra, MacFly Printing, and others. The 2025 MLK Day celebration was co-curated by MIT professor, journalist, and co-founder of Black Notes Project, Amy Carleton.

MLK Day 2025 is proudly presented by Food Lion.

Program Schedule

Our Friend, Martin: Animated Film
9:15 am - 10:30 am (Performance Suite, 2nd Floor)

Enjoy a crowd-favorite animated film, a story of two friends in middle school who travel through time, meeting Rev. Dr. King at different points in his life. The film features an all-star voice cast, including Angela Bassett, Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, and more.

Dreaming in Color: Drop-in Art Activity
9 am – 12 noon (Mezzanine, 3rd Floor)

Using mixed media and MLK silhouette cutouts, guests create unique artwork of dreams for a brighter future.

MLK Coloring Station
9 am - 5 pm (Mezzanine, 3rd Floor)

For children and colorers of all ages. Use crayons, markers, and colored pencils to bring to life an assortment of creative coloring sheets, all themed for MLK Day.

Soul City: Reimagining the Black American Dream
10 am - 11:30 am (Grand Lobby, 2nd Floor)

Join us for an engaging panel discussion centered around Charlotte native Thomas Healy's book, Soul City: Race, Equality, and the Lost Dream of an American Utopia, which chronicles civil rights leader Floyd McKissick's ambitious endeavor to build a Black-led city in North Carolina during the 1970s. Moderated by Dr. Amy Carleton, the conversation features insights from author Thomas Healy himself, former Charlotte Mayor Harvey B. Gantt, and Commisioner Floyd McKissick, Jr. Together, they will explore the challenges and triumphs of this visionary project, examining its implications for contemporary movements toward racial equality and economic justice. This event offers a unique opportunity to reflect on the enduring quest for Black empowerment and the lessons that Soul City's history imparts for today's efforts to create equitable communities.

Guided Tour
10:30 am (Grand Lobby, 2nd Floor)

Learn more about our history, our building, and our exhibitions with the first docent-guided tour of the day.

Vision in Motion: Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.'s Legacy Through Technology & Art
11 am - 4 pm (Mecca of Digital Arts (MODA), 2nd Floor)

Experience a dynamic fusion of art and technology as we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's legacy through an interactive AR and motion design experience created by artist & designer, Marcus Kiser.

Performance & Talkback with Three Bone Theatre
11:30 am - 1 pm (Performance Suite, 2nd Floor)

Local theater company Three Bone Theatre presents scene performances from a collection of plays that allow guests to explore themes of legacy and innovation from the foundations of Rev. Dr. King's philosophies.

Youtopia Writing Workshop with Natasha Gordon
11:30 am - 1:30 pm (4th Floor)

Inspired by of Rev. Dr. King’s "I Have a Dream" speech, guests will write poems or short stories based on their personal interpretation of utopia.

The Future of Equitable Housing
12 noon - 1:30 pm (Grand Lobby, 2nd Floor)

This panel's themes collectively explore and plan a future that is comprehensively based on sustainable equity of housing. Included are leaders dedicated to improving housing equity, highlighting their highest vision for housing in the city. Moderated by CrossRoads Corporation's Executive Director, Tiffany Capers, panelists include Dionne Nelson, Founder and CEO of Laurel Street, Kris Fountain, Family Services Vice President of Habitat Charlotte Region, Tonya Jameson, Leading on Opportunity’s Director of Civic Engagement, and Charis Blackmon, Executive Director of West Side CLT.

Guided Tour
1 pm (Grand Lobby, 2nd Floor)

Learn more about our history, our building, and our exhibitions with the first docent-guided tour of the day.

Printing the Dream with MacFly Fresh
1 pm - 4 pm (Mezzanine, 3rd Floor)

Bring a t-shirt, tote bag, or scarf to screen print MLK Day designs with MacFly Fresh Printing Co. Guests learn about the screen printing process and walk away with a print to take home.

UNC Charlotte Chorale
2:15 pm - 3 pm (Grand Lobby, 2nd Floor)

The university’s 46-member chorale presents live collective vocal stylings of lyrics and sounds that reflect the complexity of the Civil Rights Movement and the legacy of Rev. Dr. King.

Guided Tour
2:30 pm (Grand Lobby, 2nd Floor)

Learn more about our history, our building, and our exhibitions with the first docent-guided tour of the day.

Family Vision Board Collages with Tiya Caniel
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm (Performance Suite, 2nd Floor)

Tiya Caniel guides participants to creatively visualize 2025 with vision boards in the medium of collage, a hands-on craft that the entire family can enjoy.

City of Hip Hop: Beats, Rhythms, and Urban Evolution
2:30 - 4 pm (4th Floor)

Legendary turntablist DJ Rob Swift and Professor Rasul Mowatt (NC State) visit The Gantt for an interactive conversation about their new book The City of Hip-Hop: New York City, The Bronx, and a Peace Meeting. Learn about the dynamic fusion of music, culture, and urban development that gave rise to as they discuss hip-hop's profound impact on city landscapes and its role as a catalyst for social change. Their conversation will explore the genre's roots, its evolution, and its enduring influence on communities worldwide. Don’t miss the chance to gain insights from two leading voices in hip-hop scholarship and artistry, and to deepen your understanding of the cultural forces that continue to shape our urban environments.

Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra Performance
4 pm - 4:15 pm (Grand Lobby, 2nd Floor)

A special string duo showcasing the talent of CSYO – our city's youth symphony – and the diversity reflected in Rev. Dr. King's dream. Violin duet by Joy Ni and Neil Zhu.

Dreaming in Color: Drop-in Art Activity
4 pm - 5 pm (Mezzanine, 3rd Floor)

Using mixed media and MLK silhouette cutouts, guests create unique artwork of dreams for a brighter future.

MLK Jazz Ensemble
4:15 pm - 5 pm (Grand Lobby, 2nd Floor)

A lively jazz band curated by composer and drummer Tim Scott, specially designed to close out the day's celebration.

Amy Carleton, Ph.D., teaches in the Comparative Media Studies/Writing program at MIT and is the co-founder of Black Notes Project with partner Michael Kitchen, a Charlotte-based music festival and nonprofit. Her academic research focuses on the intersection of race and digital culture. Carleton is a recipient of the MIT Teaching With Digital Technology award and was selected by the WikiEducation Foundation as a Wikipedia Black History Scholar. Outside of her academic work, her essays and articles have also appeared in The Charlotte Observer, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and several other publications.

Black Notes Project is a weekend music festival with the mission of celebrating and amplifying Black music and artistry through a diverse schedule of programming to engage the community. Learn more and get your tickets here.