Today Begins King Week; Events Listed

Acting San Diego Mayor Ed Struiksma on Tuesday proclaimed today through Monday as Martin Luther King Jr. week, as San Diego prepared to celebrate the first national holiday honoring the slain civil rights leader.

The national holiday is Monday, and all federal, county and city offices, public schools and libraries in San Diego County will be closed. There will be no scheduled trash pickups.

Among the events honoring King:

- The San Diego YMCA’s first annual prayer breakfast commemorating King, at the Jackie Robinson YMCA this morning, with City Manager Sylvester Murray as featured speaker.

- The Rev. Grandison M. Phelps of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church will speak on King at a noon observance today at Christ Church, 1355 Fern St.

- At Christ United Presbyterian Church, 3025 Fir St., an exhibit of black art will open at noon Thursday. Urban League National Director John Jacobs will be the featured speaker at a 7 p.m. church banquet. The Morse High School Choir will sing before the banquet.

- Knox Elementary School students will march at 10 a.m. Friday in their ninth annual re-enactment of the August, 1963, civil rights march on Washington. The student march begins at 1098 S. 49th St.

- A parade honoring King will start at 11 a.m. Saturday at 47th Street and Imperial Avenue. The parade will proceed east on Imperial to Euclid Avenue, south on Euclid to Logan Avenue, then west on Logan to 47th Street.

- An interfaith prayer breakfast will be held at 8 a.m. Monday at the First United Methodist Church, 2111 Camino del Rio South. The Rev. S.M. Lockridge of Calvary Baptist Church will speak.

- Work will begin at 11 a.m. Monday on an outdoor mural honoring King at 32nd Street and Imperial Avenue. The mural will be painted by artist Mario Acevedo Torro.

- A musical tribute to King will be held at noon Monday on the Harbor Drive side of the downtown County Administration Center. The Gospel Choir of San Diego State University will take part.