The national remembrance day for Martin Luther King Jr. is this coming Monday, and for some that means a three day weekend. To help Bay Area citizens and visitors use this annual holiday to honor the life and legacy of the leader of the African-American Civil Rights Movement, the Norcal MLK Foundation and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts are hosting a three-day celebration featuring free public events centered around Yerba Buena Gardens — where the city's grand MLK memorial is stationed.
'Revelation,' the MLK memorial in Yerba Buena Gardens since 1993.
The full schedule of events is available online, but for those with a short attention span, here are details for the three main events:
MLK2016 March
The annual MLK Parade — commemorating the voting rights marches from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965 — kicks off at 11am Monday, Jan. 18th. Starting at the 4th & King Caltrain Station and ending in Yerba Buena Gardens, the 1.5 mile march passes over the Lefty O’Doul Bridge and makes a stop at Willie Mays Plaza at AT&T Park to remember the blood that was shed and the victory that was won as marchers crossed Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma.
Once the parade reaches its final destination, the Esplanade Stage at Yerba Buena Gardens, the San Francisco Interfaith Council will lead a remembrance ceremony reflecting on Dr. King's legacy, followed by a series of live music and poetry performances.
Liberation Film Festival
From 10:30am-4pm Monday, there will be films screening at YBCA (701 Mission St.), the Museum of the African Diaspora (685 Mission St.) and the Children's Creativity Museum (221 4th St.). The program will feature short cinematic films and civil rights documentaries, including John Brown’s Body at San Quentin and The E-Word. The full lineup is available here.
Black Comic Arts Festival
From Sunday through Monday, the Black Comic Arts Festival (BCAF) will focus on African Americans' influence on comic arts and popular culture. On Sunday, you'll find a series of talks with African American writers, creators and graphic novelists at the Main Public Library. Come Monday, you'll find a free expo at YBCA full of creators and cosplayers.
Last but not least, keep in mind that all of these events are free, as is admission on Monday to the Museum of the African Diaspora, which has full lineup of events for all ages.
Now that you're up to speed on MLK Day, on to the rest of this weekend's SoMa excitement:
