Martin Luther King Week Will Be Capped by Parade

Slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. is being honored this week in events that will include the seventh annual Martin Luther King Day Parade on Saturday.

Vinson Moran, parade chairman, said that, in the spirit of King’s commitment to racial unity, the parade will begin near downtown so it will be more accessible to more people.

“In the past, it’s just been for the Southeast community,” Moran said, adding that increased accessibility is, “more what Dr. King was about.”

Beginning at 11 a.m. on 21st Street and Martin Luther King Way in Golden Hill, the parade will proceed west for 1.3 miles, turn right on Columbia Street and end at G Street.

The parade will feature dozens of floats and marching bands, Moran said.

Grand marshal for the parade will be longtime San Diego businessman and community activist Brooks Huffman. Rachael Ortiz, who works with youths in Barrio Logan, will serve as special marshal, Moran said.

Divisional marshals will include: City Council members William Jones and Celia Ballesteros, county Supervisor Leon Williams and San Diego Police Chief Bill Kolender.

After the parade, awards will be given to the best bands and floats. There also will be a short performance by the Banning High School marching band from Los Angeles, Huffman said.

Other events commemorating King’s birthday include:

Today: A conference concerning the problems of the black family will be held at Christ United Presbyterian Church, 3025 Fir St. The cost is $15 and includes lunch. After the conference, there will be a keynote address at 7 p.m. from the Rev. J. Alfred Smith, pastor of Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland. Smith has addressed the World Council of Churches in Zurich, and has participated in the civil rights movement with King.

Sunday: The Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Ball will be held at the Vacation Village Hotel from 6 p.m. to midnight. The dance is semi-formal.

Monday: A free gospel concert at 8 p.m. by the UC San Diego Gospel Choir at Mandeville Center on the UCSD campus.

Related events that took place earlier this week included the 10th Annual Martin Luther King Commemorative March on Thursday by students at Knox Elementary School.

Also on Thursday, San Diego businessman Michel Anderson was appointed chairman of the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission by Gov. George Deukmejian. The commission oversees state observances of the national holiday.

Anderson had previously served as an assistant to former San Diego Mayor Roger Hedgecock. In 1983, he was appointed by Deukmejian to serve on the governor’s Infrastructure Review Task Force, which studied the development of state transportation systems, parks, correctional facilities and public facilities.

On Monday, all federal, state, county and city offices will be closed. The post office and most banks will be closed. San Diego city trash collection will be one day late next week because of the holiday.