Harvard Yard hosts MLK lecture on 15 October

Harvard Yard will host the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Commemorative Lecture at Memorial Church in Cambridge on 15 October 2026. Paula A. Johnson will deliver the lecture, with Harvard President Emerita Drew Faust moderating the conversation.

Harvard Yard hosts a public lecture on 15 October

The fifth annual lecture will take place in the Memorial Church sanctuary at 5.30pm on Thursday, 15 October 2026. Johnson, president of Wellesley College, will discuss the character, courage and civic purpose of higher education, including its role in sustaining democracy.

The programme will be followed by a community reception with refreshments. The event is free and open to the public, and Harvard says it is hosted by the Office of the President and administered by Community and Campus Life. The university’s event announcement for 15 October gives the date and venue, while the Harvard Medical Alumni Association listing confirms the public format and programme details.

Harvard Yard connects the lecture with Harvard history

The address places the programme in Memorial Church at 1 Harvard Yard, rather than in a separate conference venue. That setting connects a discussion about the civic purpose of higher education with the campus space described by Harvard as the place where a Harvard education begins.

Harvard was founded in 1636, and the Yard remains closely associated with the College’s academic and residential life. A Harvard account marking the Harvard College Fund’s centenary describes the Yard as a setting that continues to fill and empty with the semesters, while Harvard Square lies just beyond its gates. The Harvard College Fund history also records the Yard’s continuing role in campus life.

For visitors, the practical distinction is clear: the lecture is held inside the Memorial Church sanctuary, while Harvard Yard supplies the Cambridge address and wider campus context. The event therefore offers a specific reason to visit the historic university setting on 15 October 2026.

Visiting Harvard Yard: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Dr Martin Luther King Jr Commemorative Lecture takes place on 15 October 2026 at Memorial Church, 1 Harvard Yard, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
• The lecture is open to the public and followed by a community reception; the programme is scheduled for 5.30pm to 7pm.
• The venue is in Harvard Yard, in central Cambridge, with Harvard Square located beyond the Yard’s gates. The listed event location is Memorial Church, not the surrounding campus as a whole.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Harvard Yard

When does the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Commemorative Lecture take place at Harvard Yard?

The lecture takes place on 15 October 2026 from 5.30pm to 7pm at Memorial Church.

Where is Harvard Yard and how do you get there?

Harvard Yard is in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with the event venue listed at Memorial Church, 1 Harvard Yard.

What is Harvard Yard?

Harvard Yard is the central campus setting associated with Harvard College’s academic and residential life, with Harvard Square beyond its gates.