Five National Day of Racial Healing events to attend in the Gulf Coast

The annual National Day of Racial Healing is upon us. Since its inception in 2017, it has given Americans from all walks of life the space to contemplate shared values and create a blueprint, together, for healing from the effects of racism.

Taking place on Tuesday, Jan. 21, the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, events will be held across the country that help build common ground for a more just and equitable world. Here are five events being organized by communities on the Gulf Coast to participate in the National Day of Racial Healing:

• Jackson, Miss.: Two Mississippi Museums will celebrate civil rights and spiritual leader Dr. John Perkins. Held in partnership with the Perkins family and the Alluvial Collective, religious and community leaders will explore Perkins’s lived theology and influence on Christian community development and racial reconciliation. Learn more or register here.
• Biloxi, Miss.: The East Biloxi Community Collaborative was founded to offer residents and community-based groups a platform to improve the lives of children and families. The EBCC will host a racial healing circle luncheon to explore racial equity. For more information, email Allytra Perryman at [email protected].
• Jackson, Miss.: Mississippi2 amplifies the voices of marginalized communities through visual storytelling and is hosting a panel discussion on Tuesday, Jan. 28 that will focus on the infamous lynching of Robert “Bootjack” McDaniels and Roosevelt “Red” Townes, and its impact on modern-day history. Email [email protected] for more details.
• New Orleans: Louisiana’s present-day distinction as the world’s incarceration capital is rooted in three centuries of history. Captive State tells this story in two parts and will be on view at the Historic New Orleans Collection until Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025.
• New Orleans: The Ashé Cultural Arts Center invites guests to join them on Saturday, Feb. 1 for a racial healing town hall, where they share how they transformed a challenging start into a collaborative partnership through vulnerability and uncomfortable but intentional conversations. Event details can be found here.

Interested in exploring more National Day of Racial Healing Events?

With more than 200 events planned, there is no shortage of opportunities to start or continue your racial healing journey. Check out our event map to explore more events in your area and communities across the U.S.