January 14, 2026 - Ja'Mahl McDaniel and Jay Alexander (Lexington's MLK Day Celebration)

LEXINGTON, Ky. (January 14, 2026) – Monday, January 19th, 2026 will mark Lexington's 53rd anniversary of the observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a US Federal holiday that honors the birth, life and dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and is also the only national holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage Americans to volunteer for opportunities to improve their communities in a variety of ways. As part of the planning committee for Lexington's annual MLK Holiday Observance, Ja'Mahl McDaniel has helped shape one of the longest-running celebrations of Dr. King's legacy in the country. McDaniel is director of the University of Kentucky's Martin Luther King, Jr. Center — a hub for student opportunities in academics, civic leadership, and cultural exchange rooted in Dr. King's philosophy. This year's event will bring the community together around the theme, "The Right to Live, The Right to Choose: Health, Ballots & The Beloved Community," connecting Dr. King's work to present-day questions about public health, voting rights, and collective responsibility — and what it looks like to turn reflection into action. On this episode of 'Behind the Blue', McDaniel is joined by co-committee member Jay Alexander, the programming and music director for WBTF-FM in Lexington, to walk through  what to expect on MLK Day in Lexington — including the Freedom March and commemorative program — and talk about why the celebration still matters, what they hope people take away from this year's keynote message, and how the day's visual storytelling helps bring history into sharper focus. "Behind the Blue" is available via a variety of podcast providers, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Subscribe to receive new episodes each week, featuring UK's latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists, writers and the most important news impacting the university. "Behind the Blue" is a production of the University of Kentucky. Transcripts for this or other episodes of "Behind the Blue" can be downloaded from the show's blog page.  To discover how the University of Kentucky is advancing our Commonwealth, click here.