Dr. King stayed in a house in the Historic Southside because downtown hotels wouldn’t accept him. | Photo by Calvin Littlejohn
Did you know that Martin Luther King Jr. visited Fort Worth once in October 1959? He made a speech at the now-gone Majestic Theater while on his national tour to promote equality. It was the first time the theater had ever been integrated. While King was in town, he enjoyed some barbecue and attended a reception with TCU professors.
This year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be observed this coming Monday, Jan. 19. Most municipal buildings, public libraries, schools, and community centers will be closed and Trinity Metro will operate on a modified schedule.
Ways to participate
MLK Freedom Run 5K/10K/13.1 | Saturday, Jan. 17 | 7:30 a.m. | Trinity River Trail (course map will be emailed) | $30 | Doesn’t matter whether you jog, walk, or skip.
MLK Day and MLK Spoken Word Contest and Open Mic | Monday, Jan. 19-Tuesday, Jan. 20 | Times vary | The Dock Bookshop | Cost of purchase | Aspiring authors, storytellers, and other creatives will present original works on their interpretation of “Dreams From The Mountain Top.”
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles says they rejected 1,951 personalized license plate requests last year — and now they’re revealing the worst ones. We can’t stop laughing at “BYE LOSR,” “Y U UGLY,” and “IB DRUNK.” (KDFW)
Shop
In honor of the FWSSR kickoff, Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott rolls out its Tiny Home Mobile Experience today. From 11 a.m. through Monday, Feb. 16, shop modern cowgirl apparel, boots, and accessories on the Livestock Exchange Lawn in the Stockyards. Just in time to pick an outfit for rodeo season.
Concert
From metal to K-pop, North Texas’ concert calendar just got wild.Five Finger Death Punch hits Dickies Arena on Wednesday, Sept. 30, with tickets on sale today. BTS will take over AT&T Stadium Saturday, Aug.15-Sunday, Aug.16, with general tickets dropping Friday, Jan. 24. (CultureMap Fort Worth)
Announced
Gary Patterson — TCU’s winningest head football coach — is being inducted into the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame. Patterson was the head coach from 2000 to 2021, ending with a record of 181-79. He is the 10th Horned Frog to be inducted. (Fort Worth Star Telegram)
Edu
The University of North Texas will cover tuition and fees for qualifying first-time freshmen starting fall 2026 if they meet income and academic requirements. Texas residents must submit a FAFSA by Sunday, Feb. 15 — ensuring access to the North Texas Promise Program. (NBC DFW)
Sports
SMU senior guard Boopie Miller nailed an impressive buzzer-beater this week to lift the Mustangs past Virginia Tech. WFAA’s Pete Freedman took to social media — and trust us, it’s a must-watch.
Travel
Train travel is in for 2026. Amtrak is offering its US Rail Pass for 50% off in honor of America’s 250th birthday. The $250 promotion runs through Tuesday, Jan. 20, and includes 10 rides to 500 destinations, valid over 30 days. If you’re planning a trip, check out our Amtrak guide.
Listen
What a relief. Anthony Davis will not require surgery for the hand injury he’s endured since the Dallas Mavericks versus Utah Jazz 116-114 loss. He’ll be about for about six weeks. Get more stories every day from Locked On.
Today’s Post of the Day comes from our very own Editor, Elizabeth. Have you hopped on the 2016 trend yet?Everybody is mass-posting their old photos from the 2016 era to praise the vibes of much simpler times.
We would love to see what you were doing in 2016. So, pull out those relics and appreciate them for good ol’ memories’ sake. Share your photos below for a chance at appearing in our daily newsletter.
This just in. The Fort Worth Buddhist monks who are walking to DC to promote peace have reached Charlotte, NC. By my calculations, that means they have only ~400 miles to go. Newsletter Editor Maria of CLTtoday sent me these photos and said they were met by strangers hugging, crying, and coming together. Now, I’m sobbing.
Also, they’ve now reached 1.5 million followers on Facebook. What a big week for them.
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