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What are your plans for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Inauguration Weekend?  Will you be down in Washington, D.C. having a ball or will you remain here in the city? There are a number of events taking place in Harlem this weekend ranging from educational to entertaining.

In celebration of Martin Luther King Day and President Obama’s second inauguration, Ginny’s Supper Club will host two special events.

The first is an inauguration watching party at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 21^st. Guests can order from Marcus Samuelsson’s acclaimed upstairs restaurant and Presidential favorite Red Rooster Harlem, while watching a live-feed of the inauguration downstairs at Ginny’s Supper Club.  310 Lenox Ave is the perfect spot for the celebrations; in 2011, the President himself dined there, and in 2009, Samuelsson was chosen to cook the Administration’s first State Dinner.

Photo credit: Monika Sziladi

The celebration of Dr. King’s dream continues into the evening of Monday, January 21st, with a two-set special performance by Amanda Brown of The Voice.  Brown’s performance will be complemented by excerpts of Dr. King’s iconic “I have a dream” speech. Ginny’s small plates and playful cocktails will round out the celebratory evening. Guests can make reservations by calling 212- 421-3821 in advance. There is no cover. Shows start at 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

If you are looking for something more educational or service oriented then check out these events.

The Harlem/Washington Heights Education Film Screening & Community Discussion Series (EFSCD) screening and discussion of the year on Monday, January 28^th, 5:30 p.m. at 2005 Amsterdam Avenue (between 159th & 160th), 2nd Floor, Community Room. Join EFSCD co-hosts Total Equity Now, Community League of the Heights, The A.M.E. Zion Church on the Hill, as well as a power-packed panel as we screen a couple of thought-provoking videos and engage in a democratic, intergenerational, action-oriented discussion on this month’s topic: Learning for a Lifetime of Community Service!

This coming January 21^st, Democracy Prep will be hosting the “Inauguration of a DREAM: a Celebration of Education, Service, and Democracy” event from 10 am to 4 p.m. at the Harlem Armory. This event is free and open to the public and will feature live music, guest speakers, food, door prizes, and community service opportunities to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and witness the second Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama.

The Dream Continues: Photographs of Martin Luther King Murals by Vergara, features photographs by Camilo José Vergara of hand-painted murals of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Vergara has traveled across the United States since the 1970s, documenting these murals as they appeared on the walls of car repair shops, barbershops, and fast food restaurants on city streets and alleyways. The folk art portraits express how inner-city residents saw the slain civil rights leader—at times a statesman, a hero, a visionary, or a martyr. Vergara also discovered that these images were often based on iconic photographs of Dr. King but that, depending upon the neighborhood where they were created, the portraits could take on the likeness of Latinos, Native Americans, or Asians, showing how the artist identified with Dr. King.

Camilo Jose Vergara. King mural at Frederick Douglass at West 154 Street, Harlem, 2009

Camilo José Vergara will donate all of the works in to the New-York Historical Society after the close of the exhibition.

New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West between West 76th and West 77th Streets. www.nyhistory.org

Tuesday-Thursday, Saturday – 10am-6pm Adults – $15

Friday – 10am-8pm (6-8pm pay as you wish) Seniors & Educators – $12

Sunday – 11am-5pm Students – $10

Monday – CLOSED Kids (5-13 years old) – $5

Children 4 and under – Free