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COMMEMORATING MLK DAY

Dunbar Heritage Association will host a three-day celebration in honor of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from Saturday, Jan. 15 to Monday, Jan. 17. The celebration will also recognize the 20th anniversary of the DHA hosting the celebration. Above, San Marcos residents march down the streets of San Marcos during the MLK Celebration in January 2020. Daily Record file photo by Lance Winter

COMMEMORATING MLK DAY: Dunbar Heritage Association set to host three-day celebration

Sunday, January 9, 2022

The Dunbar Heritage Association will host a three-day celebration in honor of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from Saturday, Jan. 15 to Monday, Jan. 17. The celebration will also recognize the 20th anniversary of DHA hosting the celebration.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK Day) is a federal holiday that honors the birth and lifetime work of the Baptist minister and civil rights leader.

Festivities will begin with an MLK Kids’ Event on Saturday, Jan. 15 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the San Marcos Public Library. This event is for children ages three to teen and will feature arts, crafts, games and activities aimed at teaching youth about Dr. King’s legacy.

“One of the traditions we have with DHA is the wreath-laying ceremony,” said Jonafa Banbury, secretary of the Dunbar Heritage Association. “The wreaths are made by our children’s hands.”

Attendees at the Kids’ Event will also participate in their own mini-march on the SMPL sidewalk.

For participation in the Kids’ Event, parents must register their child’s name on the Eventbrite page, rather than the name of the parent.

Register on Eventbrite: MLK Kid’s Event 2022 on the DHA website at dhasmtx.com/mlk-kids-event/

The MLK Day celebration will continue from 4-7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16 with the Hays County CommonUnity MLK Jr. Festival. This year, the Dunbar Heritage Association is collaborating with the Hays County Judge’s Office to bring an MLK celebration to the courthouse lawn.

“We will have vendors from the downtown association, from Main Street San Marcos and local vendors of various kinds. We will have entertainment — an R&B band — and guest speakers,” Banbury said.

On Tuesday, the Hays County Commissioners Court declared Jan. 17 as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. According to the proclamation, “The purpose of this holiday is to encourage all Americans to fulfill Martin Luther King’s vision of freedom, equality, and opportunity for all people.”

This proclamation will be read as part of the inaugural Hays County CommUnity MLK Jr. Festival.

On Monday, Jan. 17, the celebration will begin at 9:30 a.m., with the traditional wreath-laying ceremony at the LBJ/MLK Crossroads Memorial on the corner of LBJ and MLK Streets. Following the ceremony, there will be a march through downtown to the Paul Laurence Dunbar Recreation Center located at 801 MLK Dr., where the celebration will continue with gospel music, displays, vendors and guest speakers.

“This year, we’re asking organizations that would like to participate in the march to register,” Banbury said. To register an organization to mark, fill out the form for DHA MLK Day March Registration at (https://forms.gle/4xdmT4aQpZ6TsCxWA)

For information about MLK Day celebrations, visit www.dhasmtx.com, contact dhasmtx@gmail.com or call 737-999-0403.

San Marcos Record

(512) 392-2458
P.O. Box 1109, San Marcos, TX 78666