MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY PROGRAM IN THE GLOUCESTER MEETINGHOUSE ON MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2026

~ chasnaz

GLOUCESTER, MA: The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation, in collaboration with the Gloucester Racial Justice Team, will present a program to explore the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The goal is to use our history to guide us in light of today’s social, economic, and political challenges.  The featured speaker will be Professor Jamie Wilson, historian from Salem State University and author of a book about Dr. King. The free program will take place on Monday, January 19 at 2:00 p.m. in the historic Gloucester Meetinghouse, home of the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, on the green at 50 Middle Street.  For more information please visit www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org

Professor Wilson is the author of Martin Luther King. Jr.: A Life in American History. New York: Bloomsbury, 2023.  He will discuss the obstacles faced by Dr. King and the struggle for racial equality in both the north and the south after the landmark Supreme Court decisions that banned segregated schools but left many discriminatory practices intact across many industries such as housing and employment.

EVENT DESCRIPTION

All are invited to the UU Church Social Hall (downstairs) where Professor Wilson will speak, followed by a video excerpt from a 1967 interview of MLK, Jr. by Sander Vanocur of NBC News.  Participants will then be divided into discussion groups led by trained facilitators. Each group will tackle issues that are relevant to the struggles for human dignity and security that Reverend King championed.  Parking is available on the green in front of the Meetinghouse.  Please enter the Social Hall via the side door at #10 Church Street or the side door from the Gould Court parking area.  Light refreshments will be served.

Organizers of this event include Jerry Ackerman and Karen N. Bell, co-chairs of the Gloucester Meetinghouse Events Committee, and Michea McCaffrey, Chair of the Gloucester Racial Justice Team. A special sponsor of the event is the Beverly & Addison Gilbert Hospitals, a member of Beth Israel Lahey Health.  This annual MLK Day program in Gloucester is part of the Meetinghouse Tenth Anniversary series.

ABOUT THE GLOUCESTER MEETINGHOUSE FOUNDATION

The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation’s mission is to preserve one of Gloucester’s most admired historic buildings, built in 1806 for the first Universalist church in America, as a civic hub, entertainment venue and community gathering center. The Foundation is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit and invites your support.    

From Sea to Shore: Gloucester’s Fishing & Foodways Through Time

~ Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute

Please join Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute (GMGI) and Schooner Adventure on Thursday, January 15th at GMGI, for an evening exploring the city’s maritime past, present, and future.

From Sea to Shore: Gloucester’s Fishing & Foodways Through Time will examine the enduring relationship between sea and shore, from historic schooners and traditional fishing practices to leveraging marine genomic research to support sustainable fisheries.

Click the link below for more information and to register for this free event!

Register

Featured Speakers:
Tim O’Donnell, GMGI Research Scientist
Emma Strand, Ph.D., GMGI Staff Scientist
Justin Demitri, Historian and Author on Gloucester Fishing Heritage
Emily Pearce, Executive Director, Schooner Adventure

Creative Makers Series in January at Sawyer Free

~ Sawyer Free Library

Looking for a mid-week creative spark? Join us at the Sawyer Free Library this January for Studio SFL, a visual arts series presented in collaboration with the Gloucester Center for the Arts. This partnership brings together local artistic expertise and our beautiful new library space to help you explore your creative side. Guided by professional artists, you’ll dive into a different medium each week. 

January Schedule:

Blockprinting: January 7, we’ll be exploring the basics of blockprinting using materials you can find in your own kitchen: styrofoam! Design your own basic image, “carve” it into styrofoam, and make your very own print in this two-hour workshop. Register here: sawyerfreelibrary.org

Found object collages: January 15, play with found objects to design new, original collages. Bring items with you that you want to include –magazines, small tchotchkes, fabric scraps, and other small mostly flat items– or dig through the materials provided.  Register here: sawyerfreelibrary.org

Quilting: January 21, dive into the world of fabric by making your own experimental quilt squares. Using hand-sewing and found fabric, each participant will be invited to lay out and sew their own individual squares. Try your hand at a more traditional geometric pattern or go free-form with abstract shapes and lines.  Register here: sawyerfreelibrary.org

Stained Glass: January 28, create an original faux stained glass artwork using plexiglass. Design your work by drawing on paper and then bring it to life with transparent paints and markers. Hold it up to the sun to see the light shine through your new masterpiece. Register here: sawyerfreelibrary.org

Gloucester Center for the Arts (GloArts) is a new vision for a multidisciplinary arts center based in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Our mission is to celebrate and strengthen the creative community of Gloucester by supporting professional artists, providing multidisciplinary arts education and programs, and investing in affordable creative spaces. Learn more at http://www.gloarts.org.

For more information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5500.

Matz Gallery at Sawyer Free Library Winter Exhibition: Just Add Color

~ Sawyer Free Library

A Community Exhibition of 30 Local Artists

Kick off 2026 with a vibrant celebration of creativity at the Sawyer Free Library. 

The Library’s Matz Gallery‘s Winter Exhibition Just Add Color brings brilliant hues and fresh energy to the gray winter months with an inspiring exhibition of original artwork by 30 talented local artists.

On view from January 4 through February 27, 2026, this joyful winter exhibition features nearly 50 unique works of art, all available for purchase. A portion of every sale directly supports education programs at the Sawyer Free Library, making this show a celebration of both art and community.

All are welcome at the Artist Reception on Thursday, January 15, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Meet the artists behind the work, explore the exhibition, and enjoy a vibrant evening of creativity and conversation.

Curated by Pat Alto and Jan Charles, Just Add Color participating artists include:

Pat Alto, Jackie Bennett, Coco Berkman, Linda Lea Bertrand, Ted Bidwell, Charles Browne, Beth Buckingham, Michele Champion, Janice Carragher Charles, Traci Thayne Corbett, Elli Crocker, Denise Delaney, Robert Dwelley, Barbe Ennis, Laurie Flemming, Maya Kline, Mary Lee, Bonita LeFlore, Kelle Louaillier, Lynn Maguire, Allison Moir-Smith, Claudia Morris, Jennifer Pinck, Holly Popeo, Jan Roy, Jim Seavey, Mike Shea, James Sheradin, Mike Storella, Rosemary Sullivan

For additional information, please contact matzgallery@sawyerfreelibrary.org.

“Just Add Color” brings bold expression, creative joy, and a much-needed splash of brightness to the heart of winter.

Author Talk with Peter Swanson at the Sawyer Free Library

~ Sawyer Free Library

Please join the Sawyer Free Library on Thursday evening, January 8, from 5:30 to 6:30 pm for a conversation with Peter Swanson, acclaimed local author of Kill Your Darlings, The Kind Worth Killing, Eight Perfect Murders, and more. The talk will be followed by a Q&A session and an opportunity for book signings. Copies of Peter’s books will be available for purchase at the event courtesy of The Bookstore of Gloucester.

The event will take place in the Sawyer Free Library’s Community Room, located on the ground floor at 2 Dale Avenue. To register visit sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Peter Swanson is a Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author of eleven novels, including The Kind Worth Killing, winner of the New England Society Book Award and a finalist for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, and Her Every Fear, an NPR Book of the Year. His work has been translated into more than 30 languages, and his stories, poetry, and features have appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction, The Atlantic, Measure, The Guardian, The Strand Magazine, and Yankee Magazine.

In his latest novel, The Kind Worth Saving, Swanson revisits characters from The Kind Worth Killing, as a private investigator follows a possibly adulterous husband—only to discover that the twisted trail leads back to the woman who hired him.

A graduate of Trinity College, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Emerson College, Swanson lives in Gloucester with his wife.

Only One More Opportunity to Visit the Hammond Castle Museum for FREE This Season!

~ Hammond Castle Museum

Tuesday, December 30th is the last of our Gloucester Gratis Days this season, offering the chance for all our Gloucester neighbors to visit the Hammond Castle Museum for FREE, with your proof of residency!

You may have visited the Hammond Castle Museum in the past, but you haven’t seen it like this! Join us as we present our annual, museum-wide holiday installation: Deck the Halls. This season is more festive and lush than before as we partnered with local interior designer, Elaine Quinn.

Learn more about Gloucester Gratis Days here and then reserve your complimentary admission at: https://bit.ly/DTHGratisDays.

Family Bingo at the Sawyer Free Library

~ Sawyer Free Library

Family Bingo
Tuesday, December 30 | 3:30–4:30 PM
Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester

Bring the whole family to the Library for an afternoon of bingo, laughter, and prizes!

Whether you’re a seasoned bingo pro or trying it for the first time, you’re invited to join the Sawyer Free Library for friendly competition, fun bingo calls, and the chance to win some great prizes. It’s a perfect way to spend time together during the holiday break.

  • Families with children of all ages are welcome
  • This program is best enjoyed by children 5 and up
  • All children must be accompanied by a caregiver

Space is limited — please register to save your spot at SawyerFreeLibrary.org.

Questions? Email tbalsan@sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Traveling Mystery Room at Sawyer Free Library!

~ Sawyer Free Library

Traveling Mystery Room with Big Ryan
Saturday, December 27 | 1:00–2:30 PM
Children’s Program Room | Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester

The Sawyer Free Library is calling all young detectives and adventure-seekers! Kids ages 7–16 are invited to join Big Ryan for an exciting Traveling Mystery Room experience — an interactive adventure filled with teamwork, creativity, and fast-paced problem-solving.

The challenge:
You’ve been abducted by aliens along with a group of your peers. Your only hope of escape is to work together, follow the clues, and complete each step needed to charge the escape pod. But act quickly — you have just one hour before the aliens discover you’ve broken free!

Important details:

  • Registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org, and space is limited — please register each child individually.
  • Designed for kids ages 7–16.
  • Parents of children ages 7–9 are strongly encouraged to stay and lend a hand with the mystery.

Questions? Email tbalsan@sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Get ready for an out-of-this-world adventure!

GPS Alumni Shining Bright, in Support of GEF!

~ gloucestereducationfoundation

Check out this compilation of video messages from GPS alumni, created by Marty Del Vecchio for the Gloucester Education Foundation’s recent 20th Anniversary Gala.

Please consider a donation to GEF’s year-end appeal before 12/31 to help support thousands of more kids like Rebecca, Trinity, Olivia, AJ, Thea and Nate. The programs that sparked their love for music, engineering, science, dance, theater and community – and led them to labs at Harvard and Northeastern; stages at Emerson, Suffolk, and Berklee; and tall ships sailing to St.Croix! – were make possible by the generosity of the Gloucester community. Over 20 years, YOU have helped raise over $11M for GEF! Thank you!

Our Library. Our Community. Our Future Together.

~ Sawyer Free Library

The Sawyer Free Library: A Community Reimagined

The doors to the newly reimagined Sawyer Free Library are open, and the excitement across Gloucester is undeniable. This extraordinary community space is far more than a beautiful building — it is a reflection of who we are: rooted in tradition, fueled by creativity, and committed to an inclusive and vibrant future.

Inside, visitors will find welcoming areas for children, teens, and adults; expanded digital resources; and a sustainable, accessible design that ensures everyone in our community has a place to learn, gather, and grow. The Library has once again become our civic anchor — a place where curiosity is sparked, connections are made, and democracy is strengthened.

But while the ribbon has been cut, our work is not done.

Thanks to the generosity of our community, we have reached 65% of our $28 million goal. To fully realize this once-in-a-century project, we must raise the final $8 million. One hundred percent of this year’s Annual Appeal supports the Sawyer Free 2025 Capital Campaign, helping us finish what we started and ensuring this remarkable community investment endures for generations.

This is Gloucester’s library. It belongs to all of us.

As we approach the end of the year, we hope the greater Cape Ann community will thoughtfully consider supporting the Annual Appeal. To make a tax-deductible donation, please visit www.sawyerfreelibrary.org or mail a contribution to:

Sawyer Free Library, Annual Appeal, 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester, MA 01930

Thank you for your generosity — and for believing in the power of libraries.