YORK COUNTY — Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a day that commemorates the ordained minister who was known for non-violent leadership and was a pivotal figure in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.
King died on April 4, 1968 after being shot while standing on the balcony of a hotel in Memphis, Tennesee.
In 1983, the third Monday in January was designated a federal holiday in honor of King, whose birthday was Jan. 15. In 1994, Congress designated Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a day of service, assigning the Corporation for National and Community Service with leading this effort.
Many churches and community organizations across the nation are hosting events in honor of the civil rights leader.
Local events on Monday include:
• In Biddeford, the Community Bicycle Center at 45 Granite St. is hosting the Freedom Fat Bike Ride from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is a youth event that will feature a fat bike ride through Clifford Park followed by a discussion of King’s life and accomplishments with hot cocoa and snacks.
• In Kennebunk, the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church will host the 16th annual breakfast in honor of King at 9 a.m. at the church at 114 Main St. Following the breakfast, a program will be held at 9:45 a.m. in the sanctuary with music from the North Star Gospel Jazz Ensemble and a talk by Jeffrey M. McIlwain, chaplain of the Cumberland County Jail and pastor of the North Star AME Zion Church, Newington, New Hampshire. Tickets for the event are available online at www.uukennebunk.org. Proceeds from the event will benefit The Transformation Project, a program that helps former jail inmates.
• In Saco, First Parish Congregational Church, UCC, is hosting the 11th annual Day of Service event at 12 Beach St. from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. On this day, the church opens its doors to the public, offering many free services including health screenings, hair cuts, eye screenings, used clothing and blankets, and food.
Later in the week:
• In Biddeford, the University of New England will host political and social activist Angela Davis at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The lecture by Davis will be preceded by a luncheon at noon. The event will be held at the Harold Alfond Sports Forum on UNE’s Biddeford Campus. The topic of her presentation is “Freedom is a Constant Struggle” and the speech will be live streamed to Innovation Hall on UNE’s Portland Campus. The lunch and lecture in Biddeford and the live stream in Portland are free and open to the public, but spaces are limited. Lunch is available on a first come, first served basis.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 780-9015 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
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