Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Events in the central San Joaquin Valley

Monday, Jan. 18, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the federal holiday to commemorate the life and ideals of the slain civil rights leader. It is celebrated on the third Monday of the month, which is close to his birthdate of Jan. 15. Here are events scheduled to celebrate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the central San Joaquin Valley:

Clovis Veterans Memorial Building, 453 Hughes Ave., Clovis, 559-265-3060. A reception and program honoring student speech, essay and art winners from Fresno County school districts is planned for 11 a.m.-noon Feb. 11.

Fresno County Courthouse Park, 1100 Van Ness Ave., Fresno, 559-801-8189, 559-681-3140. Bring flowers and meet near the MLK bust on the west side of the park. 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.

Rutherford Gaston Middle School, 1120 E. Church Ave., Fresno, 559-862-3931, 559-301-5466. Honoring outstanding community service. 6-7:30 p.m.

Clovis Veterans Memorial Building, 453 Hughes Ave., Clovis, 559-324-2476, erinf@cityofclovis.com, $5 and canned food donation. Darius Assemi of Granville Homes will speak. 9 a.m.

Fresno City College, 1101 E. University Ave., Fresno, 559-801-8189, 559-974-2503, 559-486-9470. Meet at the fountain outside of the Administration Building. 6-7 p.m.

Fresno City Hall, 2600 Fresno St., Fresno, 559-284-6420, 559-940-2159. The march will begin at 10 a.m. and end at Veterans Memorial Auditorium for a commemoration program. Food donations will be collected at City Hall. 9:15 a.m.

Veterans Memorial Auditorium, 2425 Fresno St., Fresno, 559-213-5925. Speakers, dancers and singing in celebration of the community’s diversity and culture. 11 a.m.-noon

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sequoias, 215 W. Tulare Ave., Visalia, 559-625-4074. The march will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end at Garden Street Plaza in downtown Visalia. Presentation by Black Student Union from Redwood High School, performances by club members. 10 am.-noon

Hanford Civic Auditorium, 400 N. Douty St., Hanford, 559-442-0020. NAACP march will begin at 8 a.m. and end at Howard AME Zion Church, 311 S. Douty St. Pastor Fred Willis will give a short history of the historically black church. Return to Civic Auditorium for Lions Club breakfast at 9 a.m., program at 10 a.m. on making the dream a reality. 8 a.m.-noon

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Fresno Field Office, 744 P St. Suite 120, Fresno. Twenty local immigrants will be sworn in as U.S. citizens; USCIS Sacramento District’s General Counsel Joseph Lynch, a native of Alabama, will speak about the impact of the work and life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 10 a.m.

Fresno Pacific University, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave., Fresno, 559-453-2000, www.fresno.edu. Fresno Pacific’s sixth annual academic-led celebration of the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Iva E. Carruthers, general secretary of the Samuel Dewitt Proctor Conference, will speak. 5-9 p.m.

This story was originally published January 8, 2016 at 8:45 PM with the headline "Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Events in the central San Joaquin Valley."