BURLINGTON — The University of Vermont will be holding a series of events this month to honor the life of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

UVM says the highlight will be a visit by Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., who will give a speech at Ira Allen Chapel on Jan. 22.

The talk is free and open to the public but tickets are required. Tickets will be available starting Monday for UVM students, faculty and staff. Tickets will be open to the general public on Friday.

Next week UVM will hold a birthday party for King on Tuesday in the Davis Center Atrium.