Unity March To Highlight King Activities

Wed., Jan. 13, 1999

By Rob McDonald robm@spokesman.com

Celebrations to observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday will begin today and culminate with the annual march through downtown.

All events are free unless noted. Today

Baruti L. Artharee, housing director for the Portland Development Commission, will speak at a luncheon. Artharee is a former president at Coast Industries, one of Oregon’s largest minority-owned firms. Lunch will begin at 11:30 a.m. at Spokane Falls Community College in Building 17. Cost is $6. Due to limited seating, call 533-3240 for luncheon seats.

Thursday

To celebrate King’s birthday (actually on Friday but observed as a holiday on Monday), Roberta Greene, Spokane city councilwoman and civic activist, will speak about King’s legacy at noon in Eastern Washington University’s Showalter Auditorium in Cheney.

Friday

Spokane Mayor John Talbott will be keynote speaker at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. luncheon at 11:45 a.m. at the Doubletree Hotel Spokane City Center, 322 N. Spokane Falls Court. Tickets will be available at the door for a $20 donation.

The Rev. Lonnie Mitchell of Bethel AME Church will be keynote speaker at the Spokane Community College Martin Luther King Jr. program from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Lair-Student Center. Students also will speak and read poetry; Diana Abrahamson, a Spokane tribal member, will sing an honor song.

Sunday

It’s a day of speakers at the Citywide Unity Celebration.

At 3 p.m., a community resource and volunteer fair will include representatives from various businesses and organizations in the Lair-Student Center at SCC.

At 4 p.m., a remembrance service will feature the Rev. Ezra Kinlow; the Rev. Lonnie Slater; Stacy Hersrud, executive director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center; Valerie Marshall, past executive director of the center; and Greene.

Monday

The annual Unity March and Rally from the Spokane Arena to the Masonic Temple on West Riverside will begin at 10:30 a.m. Participants are asked to go to the northwest corner of the Arena parking lot at 10 a.m. Parking will be free at the Arena and transportation back to the Arena also will be provided.

Call the Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center at 455-8722 for more information.

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