Martin Luther King Jr. Day Observed

PALM SPRINGS — The Coachella Valley community is encouraged to join the city of Palm Springs
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Committee for a special tribute celebrating the important accomplishments of the slain civil rights leader at a remembrance ceremony on Sunday, Jan. 19.

The 2 p.m. commemoration will be held at Church of St. Paul in the Desert, 125 W. El Alameda. This year’s keynote speaker is Jeff Grubbe, Chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

In addition, the City’s Black History Committee has partnered with the City of Palm Springs to present its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Basketball Classic on Saturday, Jan. 18 at the Demuth Community Center, 3601 E. Mesquite Ave. The tournament kicks off at 10 a.m. and the entry fee is $10.

“The city of Palm Springs is proud to invite the entire Coachella Valley community to celebrate Dr. King’s extraordinary accomplishments,” said Jarvis Crawford, who chairs the City’s Commemoration Committee. “Everyone is welcome to join us.”

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway has special hours for the weekend. See more here.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister and civil-rights activist. The man, born, Jan. 15, 1929, had a significant impact on race relations in the United States, beginning in the mid-1950s. Among his many efforts, King headed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).