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News & Events
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Community Remembers Martin Luther King Junior Posted in the Oakland Tribune on Thursday, January 15, 2004 By Ali Fard, Correspondent 75th Birthday Oakland ~ Today would have been Martin Luther King Jr.'s 75th birthday, and numerous events are taking place in Oakland throughout January to celebrate the civil rights leader's legacy. "Oakland Celebrates The Dream" is this year's theme, celebrating with community events, rallies and commemorations of King's message of cultural unity and peace. The federal holiday for King's birthday will be observed on Monday. Events throughout the month include walking tours, a peace rally and prayer breakfast. Charlie Mae Davis, president of the Martin Luther King Jr. march and rally committee, said she remembers a time when freedoms were restricted by segregation, Jim Crow laws and other emblems of racism. "There are young people nowadays who don't even know this existed," Davis said. "There are a lot of jobs that people have that they probably wouldn't have had if (King) hadn't fought for civil rights." The Martin Luther King Jr. Rally begins at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the ILWU Warehouse, 99 Hegenberger Road, with keynote speaker David Glover of the Oakland Citizens Committee for Urban Renewal. Other guests at the event include U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, Native American dance troupe the Medicine Warriors and the East Oakland Senior Center Choir. An effort to attract younger audiences to the rally has been a priority for rally committee organizers. "Our children know nothing about nonviolence now," Davis said. "Just look at the level of homicides (in Oakland). They don't know how to walk away from an argument. All they know now is how to get even. (King's message) really needs to be taught to them." Leslie Lewis, a 17-year-old volunteer at the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center, said he's trying to arrange a slam poetry event at the rally. He said he learned a lot about King's message when he helped film a documentary at the center about the civil rights movement. "In school, you're taught about black history month -- a textbook description of a timeline," said Lewis. "Not really what it's like to experience it."
For information on the month-long series of events call (510) 444-2489. The Oakland Tribune: Cityside
Oakland Tribune: General Contact Information
401 13th Street
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Related links: - African American Library - Craft & Cultural Arts - Oakland Jazz - Oakland Tribune |
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