Modesto area will mark MLK birthday with march, church service and more. The details

John Holland
·2 min read
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Modesto will have four events in honor of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, and Sonora will host another.

The civil rights leader was born on Jan. 15, 1929, in Atlanta and assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis. The Modesto area has a long tradition of recalling King’s work against racism, poverty and violence.

Details on the events, all open to the public:

Modesto, Jan. 12: The King-Kennedy Memorial Center will hold its annual MLK Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The guest speaker will be the Rev. Gregory Savage of Calvary Baptist Church in Modesto. Tickets are $30. The center is at 601 N. Martin Luther King Drive. More information is available at 209-568-3096.

Sonora: Jan. 14: The annual event will be at 2 p.m. in the Sonora High School auditorium, 430 N. Washington St. This year’s version will include Sylvia Roberts’ book on Black miners during the Gold Rush. It also will highlight work today on homelessness, LGBTQ+ rights and Indigenous culture in Tuolumne County. The gathering is sponsored by the Motherlode Martin Luther King Jr. Committee.

Modesto, Jan. 15: Christian Love Baptist Church, 202 H St., will begin its annual service at 10 a.m. Monday. It features music, speeches, dance and more.

Masonic Lodge members and others assemble for the MLK Unity March on Monday afternoon, Jan. 16, 2023, on the Helen White Trail in Modesto.
Masonic Lodge members and others assemble for the MLK Unity March on Monday afternoon, Jan. 16, 2023, on the Helen White Trail in Modesto.

Modesto, Jan. 15: A march will begin at 1:30 pm. at the King-Kennedy center. It will end at Tenth Street Place downtown with a program called “I Have a Dream.” Lunch will be served for $30 starting at 11 a.m. at the center. The city of Modesto is putting on the event with the Silver Square Lodge 66 Creators Club.

Modesto, Feb. 10: The Modesto Peace/Life Center holds its annual observance a few weeks after King’s birthday. This year, it will feature civil rights attorney Maya Wiley, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. She served as counsel to former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. The event will be at 7 p.m. in the auditorium on the Modesto Junior College East Campus, 435 College Ave.

Civil rights attorney Maya Wiley will speak on the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy at Modesto Junior College on Feb. 10, 2024. It is a belated birthday observance.
Civil rights attorney Maya Wiley will speak on the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy at Modesto Junior College on Feb. 10, 2024. It is a belated birthday observance.
A quote and a picture is projected on a screen Monday morning January 15, 2018 during the Dr. Martin Luther King Remembrance Service at Westside Ministries in Turlock, Calif.
A quote and a picture is projected on a screen Monday morning January 15, 2018 during the Dr. Martin Luther King Remembrance Service at Westside Ministries in Turlock, Calif.