Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration January 16, 2012

The 2012 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebrations to be held on Monday, January 16, at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and Yerba Buena Gardens.

A host of activities and programs mark the day, including our annual March/Parade; MLK Dream Address and Program; San Francisco Interfaith Council Interfaith Commemoration; the 2012 Children's Reading Festival; the new Civil Rights Film Festival; the 2012 MLK Conversation Series; Health Preparedness and Sustainability Festival; special music; free museum admission to the area museums and a host of other inspirational activities. All are free to the public.
In partnership with the San Francisco Interfaith Council, interfaith activities include the 2nd annual interfaith tribute to the Selma-to-Montgomery march and the symbolic crossing of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The tribute will take place during the annual march/parade as it crosses San Francisco's Lefty O'Doul Bridge and briefly stops at Willie Mays Plaza at AT&T Park. Also, the 2nd interfaith commemoration ceremony at the Esplanade stage at Yerba Buena Gardens will conclude the march/parade, with spiritual leaders from a host of faith backgrounds providing reflection on the vision of Dr. King. Last, recognition of San Francisco's first African American school principal, Ms. Leola M. Havard, will take place as part of the celebration programs.

Free and discounted commemorative transit passes on BART, Golden Gate Transit and Ferries and SFMTA are available on a first-come-first-served basis by registering on the Contact page at norcalmlk.com.

Day-long activities feature the Health, Preparedness and Sustainability Festival, led by the American Red Cross, Bay Area Chapter, SFEnvironment and the San Francisco Hospital Council, with free services and activities for all ages, including the annual MLK/Red Cross blood drive; the 2012 Inaugural Civil Rights Film Festival, in partnership with California Newsreels; the 2nd annual Children's Reading Festival in partnership with Marcus Books, the nation's oldest African American book store.

Log-on to the Events page at http://norcalmlk.com for a full list of activities and downloadable activity maps, and subscribe to us on Twitter at norcalmlk for the latest updates on activities and the day's events.