Dallas Civil Rights Museum to Host Juneteenth Celebration

In celebration of the civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., the Dallas Civil Rights Museum at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center will host its annual Juneteenth event on June 19, 2015. The festival offers a variety of family-friendly activities for community members to enjoy.

Taking place from noon to 5:00 pm, the Juneteenth event will feature a petting zoo, bounce houses, bubble machines, games and a free train ride for children. It will also have giveaways, food and vendors offering goods for sale. All children’s activities are offered for free.

While enjoying all of the free activities and fun taking place at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center, participants can also spend time at the Dallas Civil Rights Museum. At the museum, visitors can browse through an extensive collection of books, speeches, art and spoken word artifacts related to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the American Civil Rights Movement. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm and on Saturdays by appointment. Guided tours are also available.

Center Provides an Array of Services to Dallas Residents

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center in which the Dallas Civil Rights Museum is located was originally conceived in the fall of 1966 when city officials investigated the possibility of constructing a multi-service community center. The following year, city officials sought citizen input. Ultimately, Dallas voters approved The Crossroads Capital Improvements Bond Issue and planning for the center’s policies was under way by November 1968. In February 1969, The Crossroads Community Center was opened on its 10.5-acre site. At the time, the center provided employment, welfare, community organization, medical and health care, housing improvement and daycare services. Services were later expanded to provide the Recreation Center, Child Care Center and Library still housed in the center.

In January 1975, the Crossroads Community Center was renamed the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center. The following year, a statue of Martin Luther King, Jr. was dedicated to the center as part of the United States Bicentennial Celebration. In October 2004, the first Community Court of Dallas was opened in the center.

Today, more than 300,000 Dallas residents receive services through the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center. Consisting of five buildings, each building offers a different set of services provided by more than 16 affiliate agencies. Among the services currently provided at the center include:

• Child Care Services
• Head Start
• MLK Jr. Family Clinic
• Food Pantry
• Texas Workforce Center
• MLK Jr Branch Library
• Emergency Social Services
• WIC Program
• Senior Citizens Program
• Community Technology Center

The center also sponsors a Summer Fan Drive in June and puts together food baskets and dinner for the homeless at Thanksgiving. In December, the center sponsors the Santa Claus Toy Project, while job fairs are held there throughout the year. A number of educational, community, social and civic groups also meet regularly at the center, which also serves as a polling site in elections.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center is located at 292 MLK Boulevard in Dallas, Texas. To learn more about what the Dallas area has to offer, contact our knowledgeable real estate agents today.

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