King Week Events

Events to commemorate the birthday today of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. will take place throughout the city of Los Angeles this week. The holiday will be observed Jan. 20.

Today

Interfaith prayer breakfast--The Rev. Aidsand Wright-Riggins, executive director of the Board of National Ministries, American Baptist Church USA, will speak at an 8 a.m. prayer breakfast at Trinity Baptist Church, 2040 W. Jefferson Blvd., sponsored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Los Angeles. Fee is $10 per person. For reservations call (213) 385-0491.

Friday

Sabbath service--Jointly sponsored by the Messiah Baptist Church as part of a continuing dialogue with Temple Israel to improve black-Jewish relations, 7:30 p.m. at Temple Israel of Hollywood, 7300 Hollywood Blvd.

Sunday

Anti-substance abuse rally--Dr. Xylina Bean, director of the Martin Luther King Neonatal Center, which handles drug-exposed babies, the Rev. Richard Horton of the Eternal Promise Baptist Church in Los Angeles and 1992 recipient of the Martin Luther King Prophetic Witness Award, and Earl Massey, director of Survivors in Recovery, a drug recovery coalition, will speak at 6 p.m. at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2270 S. Harvard Blvd. The event is free and co-sponsors are Food 4 Less Inc. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles.

“King,” a Musical Celebration--KMAX radio personality Reginald Utley, Jim Cleaver and Marcine B. Shaw, deputies to county Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, and The BEAT’s radio personality Ben Kelley will be hosts at 6 p.m. at El Camino College Marsee Auditorium, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance. It is sponsored by the county Department of Parks and Recreation. Tickets will be available at the door for $18. For information call (213) 268-9302 or (310) 327-2930.

Monday

Golf Tournament--11th annual memorial golf tournament, 7:30 a.m., Alhambra Municipal Golf Course, Almansor Park. For information call (213) 681-8851.

Memorial--The Watts community will dedicate a memorial designed by sculptor Charles Dickson, who grew up in Watts, at 9 a.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Shopping Center, 103rd Street and Compton Avenue.

Interfaith service--John Jacobs, president of the National Urban League, will speak at a 9 a.m. service at Santa Monica College, in the Pavilion at 1900 Pico Blvd. The event is free and sponsored by the Martin Luther King Jr. Westside Coalition.

Birthday celebration--Marian Wright Edelman, past director of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, will speak at 6:30 p.m. at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel, 404 S. Figueroa St., with dinner at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $75, $150 and $350. For information, call (213) 295-KING.

Monday’s Kingdom Day Parade begins at 11 a.m. at Crenshaw and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards and ends at Menlo and 39th streets. Grand marshal will be Joseph Dyer, community relations director for CBS television.

* Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard will be closed to traffic and parking from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

* The judges’ reviewing stand will be at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Bronson Avenue.

Registration and parade assignments will be at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Marlton Avenue.

* More than 6,500 people are expected to participate.