Garlanding ceremony kicks off weekend events honoring memory of Martin Luther King

The city of Fresno Rev. Dr. Martin L. King Unity Committee celebrated its 35th anniversary Friday with a garlanding ceremony, the start of a weekend full of activities honoring the civil rights leader.

This year’s theme is “Fulfilling the Dream with Informed Action.”

“This long-honored tradition allows us to teach today’s generation of the selfless commitment to equal rights and public service that Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life exemplified,” said new Fresno City Councilman Miguel Arias.

The Unity Committee formed in December 1985. It plans and coordinates the annual citywide celebration of King’s birthday, which was Jan. 15, 1929. He was slain in Memphis on April 4, 1968.

Other events this weekend:

Saturday – Community breakfast, 9 a.m. at the Clovis Veterans Memorial Building, 453 Hughes Ave., Clovis. Cost: $5 with canned food donation.

Monday – March and commemoration program. March begins 9:15 a.m. from St. John’s Catholic Church, 2814 Mariposa St., to Fresno City Hall and proceeds to Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium, 2425 Fresno St. Commemoration program begins there at 11 a.m. featuring guest speaker Joseph Jones, president of Fresno Pacific University.

This story was originally published January 18, 2019 at 3:48 PM with the headline "Garlanding ceremony kicks off weekend events honoring memory of Martin Luther King."