Our History

Built by the community. For the community. Always.

When the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center opened on March 22, 1975, some people in Rock Island weren’t sure it would last. Nearly 50 years later, the Center is still here, and it continues to be a place where community happens and lives are changed.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center (MLK Center), originally known as the Model Cities Multi-Purpose Center, opened its doors on January 2, 1975, under the leadership of its first director, M. L. Lockhart. When the center opened on March 22, 1975, some people in Rock Island weren’t sure it would last. Nearly 50 years later, the Center is still here, and it continues to be a place where community happens and lives are changed.

Created in response to the growing need for centralized social service delivery in the Quad City area, the Center was heavily influenced by Janice Watts, the Model Cities Director, who brought together residents, social service agencies, and city officials to address long-standing social and economic barriers.

From the start, the mission was clear: help people help themselves. That message was more than a slogan. It guided early programs like legal aid, youth recreation, family support, and job readiness. The City of Rock Island supported the Center by providing administrative help with payroll, HR, and planning. That partnership meant more of the Center’s resources could go directly to the people it served. The Center became a nonprofit in 1977, and in 1985, it was made an official city department.

What began as a small team has grown into a staff of 18 full-time employees serving more than 20,000 people every year. The Center runs after-school and summer programs, family support services, youth prevention education, and signature events like Soul of the City and the Dr. King Service and Awards.

The building has also evolved. Today it includes colorful murals, updated classrooms, and a STEAM Lab with 3D printers. The Ida Robinson Banquet Room, named after a longtime staff member and volunteer, remains a gathering place for community events.

Executive Director Jerry Jones, who joined the staff in the 1990s, has focused on building the internal systems needed to keep growing and serving more people. Staff like Carlos Jimenez, who has worked at the Center for over 30 years, continue to shape its programs. Carlos and his team reach about 2,000 teens each year through health and prevention education.

The MLK Center was built by the community, for the community. That has never changed. It’s a place where families find support, kids build confidence, and neighbors come together to create something better.

Life at the MLK Center

    • Summer Day Camp

    • Preschool & after-school programs

    • Teen dances, baseball team, disco group

    • King Center Drill Team

    • Parent support groups

    • Library bookmobile

    • Holiday celebrations

    • Dr. King Memorial Service

    • King Center Days at the Mall

    • Little Miss King Center Pageant

    • “I Have a Dream” Awards launched

    • Cultural events and Thanksgiving dinners

    • First United Way grant

    • Rededication of the Center and MLK street

    • Youth/Mayor Task Force

    • Multicultural art shows

    • Workforce Center launched

    • Visits from Martin Luther King III and Jesse Jackson

    • Teen Reach and community health programs

    • MLK Center, Inc. created

    • Year-round school support

    • Annual blood drives and health fairs

    • Thanksgiving dinners recognized nationally

    • Partnership with the West End Revitalization

    • Prevention and family programs expand

    • STEAM programs and classroom upgrades