Martin Luther King Day Events
This is a partial listing of upcoming events that will commemorate the life of Dr. King. The government in a number of cities such as Palmdale, Lynwood, Compton and Carson will close down for the holiday. In Inglewood and Torrance, the libraries will close for the observance.
January 12
The Los Angeles Press Club will host a panel discussion on the subject: “What If Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Had Tweeted the Civil Rights Movement?” Panelists include Former U.S. Congresswoman Diane Watson, former L.A. City Councilman and Freedom Rider Robert Farrell, SCLC-LA chairman and union organizer the Rev. William Smart Jr., pastor and community organizer the Rev. Dr. Lewis E. Logan II, journalist/bloggers Charlene Muhammad and Jasmyne Cannick.
The dicussion will be moderated by Anthony Asadullah Samad, Ph.D., author, scholar and columnist, in the Steve Allen Theater of the Los Angeles Press Club, 4773 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles. Parking is free; enter from Berendo. 7 to 10 p.m.
January 13
ESPN presents “Content of Character by Red Tails,” a one-hour discussion exploring Dr. King’s impact through the lens of sports at 7 p.m. tonight and Sunday at 1 p.m.; Monday at 9 p.m.; and Jan. 19 at 7 p.m.
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Assemblyman Mike Davis, 48th Assembly District, hosts the 2012 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Holiday Commemoration from 6-9 p.m. at the California African American Museum, 600 State Drive, Los Angeles. For reservations, (213) 744-2111.
January 14
The city of Lancaster and a variety of local organizations sponsor the Martin Luther King Jr. Service Day where volunteers participate in various projects to benefit the community. These include the opportunity to build a bike with underprivileged youth. To sign up to volunteer, call (661) 723-6173.
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The city of Gardena and the Gardena Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Committee present the 28th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade and Celebration at 10 a.m., featuring bands, celebrities, drum lines, drill teams, classic cars, food and booths and more. Carmelita Jeter, “the fastest woman alive,” will be grand marshal. The parade begins at Marine and Van Ness avenues and ends at Rowley Park.
January 15
The California African American Museum will celebrate the legacy of Dr. King in a two-day event. “Grey’s Anatomy” actress, Chandra Wilson and actor Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter will host at the Target Sunday event, “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration—One Dream, A National Influence, A World of People.” The event begins at 1 p.m. and will include film screenings of Dr. King’s speeches and live performances on the main stage by recording artist Carol Dennis, the Korean Dance Academy and others. Hours 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 600 State Drive, Exposition Park.
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The Los Angeles Inner City Youth Foundation & Friends will present its 20th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration and Unsung Heroe’s awards presentation honoring film producer Matthew Cherry and coaches Cornell Ward and Jabari Ali of B2G Sports at the Redeemer Missionary Baptist Church, 1631 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles. Host pastors are Curtis and Patricia A. Monroe. Congresswoman Maxine Waters will be the special guest. The L.A. Inner City Mass Choir will be featured.
Unsung Heroe’s include top high school athletes Jaydon Mickens and Jeremiah Allison, Dorsey; Tre Calahan and Michael Davidson, Crespi; Arte Miura, Palisades; Earl Johnson, Golden Valley; Tyler Watt, Saugus; Rasheed A. Watkins, View Park; Tedric Thompson, Valencia; Kyle Alexander, Quaid Willis and Jeffrey Coprich Jr, West Ranch, and MarShaun Coprich, Oak Hills. M.C. for the evening will be actors Vincent Ward.
Regarding attendance, contact Jeffrey J. Coprich Sr. at (323) 422-0186 or via email at:coprich101@gmail.com.
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Academy Award nominee Margaret Avery (“The Color Purple”) will perform in a staged reading of “The Dreamers,” written and directed by Christina Harley at the Martin Luther King Day celebration in Culver City, beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the Culver City Senior Center, 4095 Overland Ave., Culver City. The reading is part of a full-day celebration. The free activity begins at 11 a.m. For a complete schedule of the day’s events, visit www.culvercity.org or call (310) 253-6675.
This special reading co-stars Art Evans (“Die Hard 2,” “A Soldier’s Story) and features Hugh Dane (“Bridesmaids,” “The Office”), Bridgid Coulter (“Family Matter,” “Always Outnumbered”) and John Marshal Jones (“The Smart Guy,” “Prison Break”). In addition, a chorus from Agape International Spiritual Center will perform.
January 16
CAAM kicks off the day in the annual King Day Parade, followed at 1 p.m. by birthday cake for King. Program activities throughout the day will include: a presentation acknowledging the winners of the MLK essay contest for the city, documentary screening of “King: Man of Peace in a Time of War,” a reading in the gallery for children with Babe and Art Evans, a writing and journal decorating workshop. Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
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Lancaster Public Library at 601 W. Lancaster Blvd. hosts the Rev. Dennis Brown presenting historical information about Dr. King and excerpts from his speeches during a one-hour program beginning at 6 p.m. Admission is free. Info: (661) 948-5029.
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The National Cultural Foundation, founded by Larry Grant, will hold its annual Kindom Day Parade, beginning at 10:15 a.m. The parade will begin at Arlington Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and travel west to Crenshaw Boulevard, and then travel south to Vernon Avenue, where it will disband.
There are those who still say the creation of America’s 10 national holiday in 1983—i.e., the kind that means post offices, banks, schools, and libraries close and federal workers get the day off—was a reparations gift of White guilt for the long years of making Black Americans suffer.
Perhaps.
This week is our annual King dance.
I call it the King dance because it’s the time of year when American society dances around the significance of Martin Luther King Jr. and his contributions to the evolution of American society.
It is really difficult to grapple with the compromising of the King legacy.
King was more than a day off work. King marched for social justice and economic equality. He didn’t march in parades. I never got the parade concept. What are we celebrating? The life of Martin Luther King Jr., you say.
“Conflicts are unavoidable because a stage has been reached in which the reality of equality will require extensive adjustments in the way of life of some of the White majority.”
—from “The Last Steep Ascent,” originally published by Martin Luther King Jr. in the March 1966 issue of The Nation.
The monument to 20th-century social change leader—and some say 20th-century prophet—the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was finally dedicated this weekend on the National Mall.
Rev. Dr. Howard W. Creecy, the new president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) who just last month outlined his vision to revive the historic civil rights organization, has died of an apparent heart attack. He was 57.
