MLK Day Coloring Pages and Activity Sheets

MLK Day coloring ideas

Class idea: read a picture book about Dr. King, then give everyone the My Dream for the World sheet. Pin the finished dream clouds up together as a class "dream wall" for MLK Day.

Every page can be coloured online on a phone, tablet or computer, or printed from its free US Letter or A4 PDF. Print the PDF at 100% so nothing is cut off.

About MLK Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Day honors Dr. King, the Baptist minister and civil rights leader who led peaceful protests for equal rights for Black Americans. He was born on 15 January 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. MLK Day became a US federal holiday in a law signed in 1983, and was first observed in 1986. It is on the third Monday in January. In 2027 it falls on Monday 18 January (OPM federal holidays).

The pages use symbols and places rather than pictures of Dr. King or anyone else: a dream cloud, a peace dove, hands joined around a heart and the Lincoln Memorial, where he gave his “I Have a Dream” speech on 28 August 1963. The two quote pages use his own words with their sources: “I have a dream” (King Institute, Stanford) and “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.” from his 1963 book Strength to Love (National Park Service).

For younger children, start with the peace dove, the hands or the I Have a Dream page and talk about fairness and kindness. Older children can do the writing prompt, the word search and the Day of Service checklist: The King Holiday and Service Act of 1994 made MLK Day a national day of service: “a day on, not a day off” (AmeriCorps). In February, carry on with the Black History Month coloring pages.

MLK Day questions

When is MLK Day 2027?

Monday 18 January 2027. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is always the third Monday in January, close to Dr. King’s birthday on 15 January.

Why are there no pictures of Martin Luther King Jr.?

We draw symbols and places instead of real people, so every page is original and respectful: a dove, hearts, hands, a dream cloud and the Lincoln Memorial. A library book or a photo from a museum is the best way to show children who Dr. King was.

Are these MLK coloring pages free?

Yes. Every page is free to print or color online, at home or in class, with no sign-up. Each one has a US Letter and an A4 PDF.

Is there an MLK Day word search with answers?

Yes: the MLK Day word search has 10 words across and down in a 10×10 grid, with the answer key on page 2 of the PDF.