Merced County prepares for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Continuing the tradition, organizers throughout the county are preparing for a number of events in honor of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

The events are set for Monday, the day in which King is recognized nationally. Locally, organizers hope to spread a message of unity and “continue the dream.”

Every year, the marches and rallies gather hundreds of people. King is remembered leading important moments during the civil rights movement. He was assassinated after speaking on behalf of striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tenn., in April 1968.

Merced

The 20th annual Martin Luther King Jr. march will take participants down Martin Luther King Boulevard, starting at the Amtrak Station on 24th Street and concluding at the Merced County Fairgrounds. The parade will start at 11 a.m.

In Merced, the march is put on by local residents with donations and help from businesses, schools and local nonprofit groups.

“It’s a community endeavor,” said Tamara Cobb, this year’s event chair.

This year’s grand marshal honors were given to Yvonne Davis, the wife of the late Denard Davis, a community advocate, educator, mentor and civil rights leader for multiple generations of men of color in Merced.

“But she was equally a pioneer in civil rights in Merced as he was,” Cobb said. Yvonne Davis is known for working closely with Merced youth, especially young girls of color.

The event will conclude at the fairgrounds with a Family Fun Day event that will include vendors, food and entertainment.

Los Banos

The Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration has existed in Los Banos since 1995, according to Los Banos Enterprise files. This year’s march will start at City Hall on 520 J St. and end at the Falasco Arts Center at 1105 Fifth St. People are asked to begin gathering in front of City Hall at 10 a.m. The march will start at 10:30 a.m. and will be followed by a program of speakers and choirs at 11 a.m.

Vondell McKenzie, president of the Los Banos Chapter of the NAACP, said the event is known to gather a large crowd, including many children who have the day off from school.

“It brings a lot of people together and, together, we can make things happen,” McKenzie said. “Color, nationality doesn’t matter.”

McKenzie said the march is an opportunity to highlight history and King’s contributions. This year’s event will carry a theme of change. “We need to make change,” McKenzie said. “Some of the issues we saw back then we still have today.”

Dos Palos

The ninth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community Celebration in Dos Palos will take pace at 3 p.m. Monday at the American Legion Hall, 1601 Mabel Ave.

Unlike previous years, there will be no march, but a potluck-style program with youth performances will continue.

Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, will be the guest speaker. The free event is open to all.

This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 6:22 PM with the headline "Merced County prepares for Martin Luther King Jr. Day."