Martin Luther King Jr. Day Events in the East Bay

It would have been Martin Luther King Jr.'s 80th birthday on Monday.

Many communities are holding events this holiday weekend to honor the slain civil rights leader who, among other things, organized boycotts against racially segregated bus systems in the South and led the 1963 March on Washington, where he delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech.

King was president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and was Time magazine's Man of the Year in 1963. He was also awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

From 1957 until his death in 1968, King traveled 6 million miles and delivered more than 2,500 speeches.

Here are some of the events being held in the East Bay on Monday in honor of Dr. King.

Berkeley

10 a.m. to Noon. Participants will walk from Jefferson Elementary School, 1400 Ada St., to King Middle School, 1781 Rose St. A celebration of King's life will be held inside the auditorium there.

El Cerrito

9:30 a.m. A Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade starts at 9:30 a.m. at the Department of Motor Vehicles, 6400 Manila Ave., and ends at El Cerrito High School, 540 Ashbury Avenue. A rally at the High School Performing Arts Center starts at 10:30 a.m. and includes singing, speeches, music and entertainment.

Emeryville

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A celebration will be held at Anna Yates Elementary School, 1070 41st St. Arts, activities, dancing, music, student performances and a barbeque lunch will be part of the event.

Hercules

9 a.m. to Noon: A rally will be held at Hercules Middle High School Auditorium, 1900 Refugio Valley Rd. Keynote speakers include journalist Belva Davis. and Dr. Denise Noldon, president of Contra Costa College. There will also be a free breakfast and youth performances.

Oakland

8:30 a.m. to Noon. The East Bay Regional Park District will host a day of service in honor of Dr. King. Volunteers should meet at the Oak Port Athletic Field, 5734 Oakport St. Volunteers will help park district employees with invasive plant removal.

9 a.m. A volunteer event will feature a bird walks led by Golden Gate Audubon docents. It'll be held at Martin Luther King Regional Shoreline Park.

9 a.m. to Noon: A food drive is being held in honor of Dr. King's efforts to end poverty. Canned goods can be donated at the Alameda County Food Bank, 7900 Edgewater Drive.

10 a.m. to Noon. A multicultural peace celebration will be held ILWU Warehouse Hall #6, 99 Hegenberger Road. Speakers, including Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson and the Rev. Byron Williams, will highlight the event.

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: A shoreline cleanup will be held in honor of Dr. King. Participants should meet at Garretson Point parking lot at the end of Edgewater Drive. Volunteers will clean up and help restore Damon Marsh, Damon Slough, Arrowhead Marsh and Martin Luther King Jr. Grove.

10 a.m. to Noon. A "Make The Dream Real" celebration will be held at Taylor Memorial Church, 1188 12th St. Sacred drumming will be performed along with performances from young artists.

Noon to 3 p.m. A "Green the Block" service day will be held at the Crossroads Collective Cafe, 942 Stanford Ave. Treats from the cafe will be provided for volunteers who install planter boxes and benches in the neighborhood.

Noon to 5 p.m. A birthday celebration and economic, health and peace fair will be held at Star Bethel Church, 5800 San Pablo Ave. The focus is living a healthy, peaceful life.

12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. A theater matinee will be held at the African American Museum and Library, 659 14th St. A collection of films will be shown commemorating the life of Dr. King.

7:30 p.m.: A preinaugural gospel concert will be held at Star Bethel Church, 5800 San Pablo Ave. It will feature gospel artist Jonathan Nelson and local artists.

Pinole

9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A service day will be held. Volunteers should meet in the parking lot of Point Pinole Regional Park. Shoreline clean-up will include free refreshments. Supplies provided.

Richmond

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. A festival and service day will be held from 6th Street to 16th Street, between Ohio and Chanslor Avenue. Planting, pruning, urban farming, live music, entertainment, food, art projects and a petting zoo are part of the event.

San Leandro

2 p.m. The city's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration will be held at the Marina Community Center, 15301 Wicks Blvd.

Walnut Creek

Noon. The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration will be held in the Assembly Hall at Civic Park, 1365 Civic Drive. The theme is "Sowing the Seeds of Peace."

National Day of Service

Martin Luther King Day is also a day for service to the community. This year, they day of service fell on Saturday, Jan. 19 but the website is asking citizens to give back for the entire year.

According to the mlkday.gov website, the "MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President's national call to service initiative. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems."

Click here to find local events to take part in the day of service on Jan. 21 including giving blood in Alameda County and donating used coats at your local Burlington Coat Factory. The closest Burlington Coat Factory location in Tri-Valley is Dublin.