Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - Poster & Essay Contest

In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Brookings Human Rights Commission sponsors an annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day poster and essay contest for all Brookings County school students and participants from ADVANCE. Dr. King was a supporter of human rights and freedoms for all citizens. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be celebrated on January 16, 2023. These contests are designed for students to reflect on Dr. King’s ideas and the effect on our community through their contest entry.

NEW DEADLINE: All contest entries are due before NOON on Thursday, January 5, 2023.
*Deadline extended due to inclement weather.

Essay Entries: Essays, along with entry information, must be emailed to humanrights@cityofbrookings.org.
Poster Entries: Posters, along with entry information, must be submitted to one of the following: (1) Entrant's school; (2) ADVANCE offices; or (3) Brookings City & County Government Center at 520 Third St., Suite 230.

THEMES: The 2023 contest themes are:

Essay Entries: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."
Poster Entries: "True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice."

Winners will be presented with cash prizes and certificates at the Brookings City Council meeting on January 24, 2023. Original posters will be displayed first at the Brookings Public Library and then at South Dakota State University.

Poster Contest Information (PDF)

Poster Entry Form (PDF)

Poster Rubric

Essay Contest Information (PDF)

Essay Rubric