Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Want to Honor MLK? Here's a List of Fresno Area Events
gvw_david_taub
By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 2 years ago on
January 13, 2023

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

March. Serve. Sing.

There are plenty of opportunities to honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the Fresno area this weekend. The official holiday is Monday.

That is when the main event takes place, the annual community march, starting at 10 a.m. The march commences at St. John’s Cathedral in downtown Fresno (2814 Mariposa Ave.). Staging starts at 9:30 a.m.

The march will go past Fresno City Hall and conclude at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium.

A commemoration program takes place at the auditorium after the march. Marc Philpart from the California Black Freedom Fund is the keynote speaker.

Event Listings

Here is a listing of events, provided by The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Committee, City of Fresno, CA:

Friday, Jan. 13 —Garlanding Ceremony
Welcome by Mayor Jerry Dyer. Featuring Special Guest Superintendent Michele Cantwell-Copher, Fresno County Superintendent of Schools in honor of MLK.  This ceremony will also feature the Fresno Unified Black Student Union and King Elementary School dancers. 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Courthouse Park off of Van Ness/Tulare. Contact: Dr. Sudarshan Kapoor, (559) 435-2212, or Gail Gaston (559) 681-3140.

Fresno leaders honor MLK last year in a garlanding ceremony at Courthouse Park. (GV Wire File)

Friday, Jan. 13 —Awards Program
Welcome by Fresno City Council President Tyler Maxwell. Honorees: Educational Leadership Award, Retired Fresno County Superintendent Jim Yovino; Community Leadership Award, Tiffany Binion Mangum; Public Service Award, Clovis Police Chief Curt Fleming; and Les Kimber Community Service Award, Central Valley Black Nurses Association. 5 p.m. Fresno City Hall, 2600 Fresno St. Contact: Summer Gaston at summer.gaston-gehris@fresnounified.org.

Saturday, Jan. 14 — Clovis Police Department Community Breakfast
9 a.m. Keynote Speaker: Dr. Sudarshan Kapoor. California Health Science University 2500 Alluvial Ave. Clovis, CA 93611 (Southwest corner of Temperance & Alluvial avenues (take CA-168 to Temperance Avenue, go north to Alluvial Avenue) Tickets: $5 each (pre-payment required). Contact: Erin Ford-Horio, (559) 324-2476, or erinf@cityofclovis.com

Saturday, Jan. 14 — West Fresno Ministerial Alliance Service
Service 6 p.m. Westside Seventh-Day Adventist Church 2750 S. MLK Jr. Blvd, Fresno CA, 93706. Contact Pastor Bruce McAlister at saintscommunity@sbcglobal.net or Pastor BT Lewis booker.lewis@fresno.gov

Sunday, Jan. 15 — Gospel Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
4 p.m. at Westside Church of God 1424 W. California Ave. Contact: Tiffany Mangum at CentralValleyGIN@gmail.com, Eric Payne at eric.paynecmc@gmail.com. Proceededing this event will be a Candlelight Peace Vigil at 6 pm.

Sunday, Jan. 15 — Candlelight Peace Vigil
6 p.m. at Westside Church of God 1424 W. California Ave. This event will be held after the Gospel Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Contact: Dr. Sudarshan Kapoor, (559) 435-2212

Sunday, Jan. 15 — Countdown to King Concert & Rally
9:30 p.m.-midnight; This is a free event at The Tower Theater. Contact: edwardthomas858@icloud.com.

Monday, Jan. 16 — MLK Community March
9:15-10:45 a.m., St. Johns Cathedral, 2814 Mariposa Ave, Fresno, CA 93721. Marchers will assemble at 9:30am. March begins at 10 a.m., stops at City Hall then proceeds to Veterans Memorial Auditorium (2425 Fresno St.) where the program will conclude. Contact: James Lett III, (559) 284- 6420

Monday, Jan. 16 — Commemoration Program
11 am., Veterans Memorial Auditorium 245 Fresno St. Celebrating the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his contributions to community diversity and our enriched culture. Commemoration Program Keynote Speaker is Marc Philpart of the California Black Freedom Fund. Contact: Terri Kimber Edwards, (559) 908-0639, or email: Eric Payne at Eric.paynecmc@gmail.com.

Wednesday, Jan. 18 — Art, Essay, Speech Contest
6 p.m.; Fresno County Superintendent of Schools will have an MLK Art, Essay, and Speech Contest at Clovis Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium. Contact: Dr. Jeff Hunt, (559) 246-4432.

 Thursday, Jan. 19 — MLK Commemoration
Presented by Fresno State African American Programs. 12-1 p.m., Fresno State Peace Garden. Contact: Maria Williams, (559) 278-4435.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Crescent View West High Celebrates New Clovis Home

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Sentenced to 29 Years for Sexually Assaulting Children and Dog

DON'T MISS

Bulldogs’ Two-Position Standout Tommy Hopfe Signs With Rockies

DON'T MISS

Artists, Vendors Plan to Defy City’s ArtHop Crackdown

DON'T MISS

Former Bulldog QB Jake Haener: I Have a ‘Rare Form of Skin Cancer’

DON'T MISS

The Many Names of GOP Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance

DON'T MISS

‘Fed Up’ Dyer, Councilmembers Unveil Plan to Crack Down on Street Campers

DON'T MISS

House Republicans Slam Trump’s ‘Worst Choice’ for VP Pick JD Vance

DON'T MISS

Companies Cut Prices to Boost Sales, Consumers Respond

DON'T MISS

Stay Cool, Fresno!

UP NEXT

Artists, Vendors Plan to Defy City’s ArtHop Crackdown

UP NEXT

The Many Names of GOP Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance

UP NEXT

Warner Bros. Discovery Sues NBA for Not Accepting Its Matching Offer

UP NEXT

Will Bonta Election Lawsuit Reverse the Will of Fresno County Voters?

UP NEXT

PINC Donation Gives Big Boost to Fresno’s Neediest Kids

UP NEXT

Looking for a New Best Friend? Fresno Animal Center Waives Fees on 100 Puppies

UP NEXT

Netanyahu Will Meet Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Mending a Yearslong Rift

UP NEXT

Recall of Boar’s Head Deli Meats Announced During Investigation of Listeria Outbreak

UP NEXT

Spicy Dispute Over the Origins of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Winds up in Court

UP NEXT

Reedley College’s Gagnon Passes On UCLA, Signs With the Dodgers

David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

Artists, Vendors Plan to Defy City’s ArtHop Crackdown

6 hours ago

Former Bulldog QB Jake Haener: I Have a ‘Rare Form of Skin Cancer’

7 hours ago

The Many Names of GOP Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance

7 hours ago

‘Fed Up’ Dyer, Councilmembers Unveil Plan to Crack Down on Street Campers

7 hours ago

House Republicans Slam Trump’s ‘Worst Choice’ for VP Pick JD Vance

7 hours ago

Companies Cut Prices to Boost Sales, Consumers Respond

7 hours ago

Stay Cool, Fresno!

8 hours ago

Warner Bros. Discovery Sues NBA for Not Accepting Its Matching Offer

8 hours ago

Tanker Plane Crash Kills Firefighting Pilot in Oregon as Western Wildfires Spread

8 hours ago

Will Bonta Election Lawsuit Reverse the Will of Fresno County Voters?

8 hours ago

Crescent View West High Celebrates New Clovis Home

The arch of colorful balloons over the doorway of a storefront on Shaw Avenue in Clovis was a clue that something exciting was happening on ...

4 hours ago

4 hours ago

Crescent View West High Celebrates New Clovis Home

5 hours ago

Fresno Man Sentenced to 29 Years for Sexually Assaulting Children and Dog

5 hours ago

Bulldogs’ Two-Position Standout Tommy Hopfe Signs With Rockies

6 hours ago

Artists, Vendors Plan to Defy City’s ArtHop Crackdown

7 hours ago

Former Bulldog QB Jake Haener: I Have a ‘Rare Form of Skin Cancer’

7 hours ago

The Many Names of GOP Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance

7 hours ago

‘Fed Up’ Dyer, Councilmembers Unveil Plan to Crack Down on Street Campers

7 hours ago

House Republicans Slam Trump’s ‘Worst Choice’ for VP Pick JD Vance

Search

Send this to a friend