Friday, January 12, 2001
MLK Celebrations Planned
By Tracy Dingmann
Journal Staff Writer
Several organizations in and around Albuquerque are holding events to
celebrate the life of civil rights martyr Martin Luther King Jr.
King, who was murdered on April 4, 1968, has become a symbol of the
struggle for civil rights in America.
He is the only African-American to be honored with an official U.S.
government holiday.
This year, the official holiday will be celebrated on King's actual
birthday, Jan. 15. However, scheduled events begin today and continue
throughout next week. Here's a listing:
Today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Kirtland Air Force Base East Chapel will
host the annual Martin Luther King Commemorative Service. The service is
free. Enter at the base's Wyoming Gate and have driver's license, car
registration and proof of insurance ready.
On Saturday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., Humanity For Haiti will host a Haitian
Independence Day Celebration at St. Michael's and All Angels Church, 601
Montano NW. It will feature traditional Haitian cuisine, a silent auction
and music by New Mexico Presente and Cuicani. Tickets are $12 in advance
and $15 at door. Students get in for $6 and children under 12 are free.
Proceeds go to help the people of Haiti. For information or advance tickets,
call 232-4708 or 848-8240.
Also on Saturday at 7 p.m., the local Bahai Community will host the 12th
Annual Martin Luther King Birthday celebration at the Rodey Theatre in the
University of New Mexico Center for the Arts. Admission is free.
On Sunday at 3 p.m., the city of Albuquerque and the Bernalillo County
Commission will host the annual King Day march, coordinated by the
Albuquerque branch of the NAACP. Marchers will assemble at University and
Martin Luther King Jr. and will proceed down King to Civic Plaza for a
special program. The event is free.
Also on Sunday from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., AFSCME Council 18 will hold the
4th Annual Labor Party of New Mexico King Day celebration. This year's
event will be at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local
Union 611 at 4921 Alexander NE. Featured will be dinner and music by Nuevo
Mexico Presente, the Labor Party Singers and a select gospel group. There
will also be moments in New Mexico labor history and words from King about
organized labor. The suggested donation is $5 a person or $10 a family, but
no one will be turned away.
On Monday at 8 a.m., the Grant Chapel A.M.E. Church will hold its 5th Annual
Martin Luther King Day Breakfast at the Marriott Hotel at Interstate 40 and
Louisiana NE. Guest speaker will be former Colorado state senator Regis
Groff. Admission is a donation of $16. For information, call 299-8406 or
293-1300.
Also on Monday from 1p.m. to 3 p.m., Congregation Albert at 3800 Louisiana
NE will hold its 11th Annual Dr. ML King Multicultural Celebration.
Donations are appreciated and will go toward educational scholarships.
At 9 a.m. Monday in Santa Fe, a legislative forum on election reform will
be held at the National Education Association building at 130 S. Capitol,
followed by a Rally for Justice focusing on the disenfranchisement of
minority voters at 11 a.m. outside the state Capitol. At noon, the official
King holiday program will begin inside the Capitol rotunda. The event is
free.
And on Jan. 19 from noon to 1 p.m., after University of New Mexico students
return to classes, the UNM African-American Studies Office will hold its
annual Martin Luther King Memorial Service at the UNM Chapel on campus. The
service will be followed by a birthday celebration at the African-American
Studies office in Mesa Vista Hall. The event is free.
©Copyright 2001, Albuquerque Journal
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