MLK holiday features tributes, service

COLUMBUS – Ohio and the rest of the nation will commemorate the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. this weekend.

Annual tributes and commemorations of the civil rights icon, which began nationwide on Friday, typically include a mix of politics, faith and community service.

The 38th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Breakfast, the marquee Martin Luther King Day event in Columbus, is scheduled for 7:00 a.m. Monday at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.

The City of Columbus MLK Day March and Program will take place at the Lincoln Theatre. The march begins at 4:30 p.m. and the program of speakers follows at 5:30 p.m.

The Ohio History Connection, in partnership with the King Arts Complex celebrates King’s life by offering free admission to the Ohio History Center from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and admission to the National Veterans Memorial and Museum is $1 from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

In Akron, the family of Jayland Walker, a 25-year-old Black man killed after police officers shot at him 46 times as he fled last July, will hold a symposium on public safety and mental health with local civil rights leaders on Saturday. Walker’s case received widespread attention from activists, including from the King family.

This year, Bernice King, daughter of the slain civil rights leader and CEO of the King Center in Atlanta, says she hopes to spur progress by helping more Americans personalize the ongoing struggle for racial equity and harmony.

She’s doing that through a number of King holiday weekend events, including a civil rights training summit for youth and adults.

Other King holiday weekend events include a statue unveiling in Boston and community service projects in many U.S. cities.