In observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration Committee will pay tribute to the life and legacy of the civil rights pioneer with a peace march and celebration on Monday, Jan. 15.
This year’s theme is Voices of Today, Hereos of Yesterday, Dreams of Tomorrow. The committee will also host a Peace and Unity in the Community march leading up to the event.
The march starts at 9:15 a.m. on the steps of Grace Temple Missionary Baptist Church, 201 South H St.
The celebration will follow the march at about 11 a.m. at Dick DeWees Center, 1120 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc. Both events are free to attend.
“Our committee’s goal is to share the message of Martin Luther King Jr. now and into the future. We come together in hopes that our that our community can celebrate his impact on the world at our annual event,” said Wiley.
This year’s event will feature keynote speakers Keisha Edwards and Benjamin Thomas. City officials, community groups, the Lompoc Police Department, and the YMCA are expected to attend.
The committee has held fundraisers in support of the celebration.
“We plan to march and come together as a community in MLK’s honor,” Wiley said. “It’s ok to celebrate progress, but also understand that we have not reached the finish line.”
During his all too short lifetime (1929-68), Dr. King was a leader in the movement to end racial segregation in the United States. He was an advocate of non-violent protest, and became the youngest man to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (signed into law on Nov. 2, 1983 and first officially observed on the third Monday of January 1986) is an American holiday marking the birthday of Dr. King. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around the time of King’s birthday, Jan. 15.
In 2011, a memorial honoring Dr. King was completed and dedicated in October at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., by the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation. The official address of the monument, 1964 Independence Avenue, S.W., commemorates the year the Civil Rights Act of 1964 became law.
For more information, or to help sponsor or donate to the event, email Pastor Ron Wiley at wileyrt2@cs.com or call 805-698-6010.