2026 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Essay Contest
Essay Contest Rules & Eligibility
The 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest is open to high school seniors residing in the city of Dallas and attending a city of Dallas high school. These scholarships are to help offset the cost of tuition, books, room and board, etc. Recipients will be required to submit a short video of their scholarship acceptance and will be formally recognized at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship & Awards Gala on Saturday, January 17th, 2026.
A top prize of $10,000 in scholarship awards will be presented.
- One essay per student.
- Essays must be original (not AI generated), typed, double-spaced, and a minimum of 1,000 words.
- The cover sheet must contain the student’s name, school, home/cellular phone number, and email address (do not include this information in the body of the essay).
- Student must attend a high school in the city of Dallas.
- Student must be a resident of the city of Dallas.
- Essays will be evaluated on organization, content, creativity, and grammatical structure.
Apply Online: bit.ly/2026MLKScholarship
Incomplete applications WILL NOT be considered. Prior scholarship winners are ineligible to apply.
2026 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Week
In January 2026, the City of Dallas will host its 44th annual celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a weeks’ worth of events highlighting issues of diversity and opportunity. The week will include a Day of Reflection, Prayer, & Dedication, Job Fair, Multicultural Showcase, Candle Lighting Ceremony, and Scholarship & Awards Gala. Celebration week will culminate with the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade.