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San Antonio professor credited with helping establish MLK Day as a state holiday in Texas
“I was very much involved in trying to end racial injustice in the San Antonio area for the most part,” Salas said. San Antonio professor speaks about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s less told legaciesIn 1983, more than a decade following King’s death, his birthday was recognized as a federal holiday. In 1989 Salas noticed that Texas was one of three states where lawmakers had still not signed a bill into law recognizing King’s birthday as a state holiday. In 1991 the bill recognizing King’s birthday as a state holiday was signed into law. Now 71-years-old, Salas is a chairperson for the San Antonio Coalition for Police Accountability.
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Blue Skies of Texas hosts MLK walk
SAN ANTONIO – A local retirement community honored the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a walk for freedom on Monday. The morning walk marked the inaugural “MLK Walk for Freedom.” Participants wore face masks, made signs and walked to pay their respects to King. According to the community, the group walked in partnership with The United Way and The San Antonio Virtual Walk. Sarah Manski, director of marketing for Blue Skies of Texas, said attendees wanted to honor King, even if the celebration did not look like it once did. ”But we still have that spirit,” Manski said.
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Local judges pay tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with special video
SAN ANTONIO – When San Antonio’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day march was canceled as local COVID-19 numbers continued to climb, one judge posed a question to his judicial colleagues. ”How can we put a message out to the community letting them know that we’re still with them on this day?” Quesada asked. The video, Quesada said, was “a sort of substitute” for the March. ”Imagine trying to get them all to do a video in a certain time so that we can have it all ready for MLK Day,” Quesada said. Watch the video in full in the player below:Related: San Antonio community leaders reflect on Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy
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How San Antonians can get involved in the virtual MLK march this year
SAN ANTONIO – The Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration in San Antonio will look a lot different this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Alamo City is known for having the largest MLK Day march in the nation, which roughly attracts 300,000 participants every year. But in the midst of the pandemic, the MLK Commission has had to pivot and adjust. Renee Watson, chair of the MLK Commission, joined Leading SA on Sunday to discuss what we can expect for this year’s celebration. Watson and the MLK Commission are asking community members not to march together due to the uptick in area coronavirus cases.
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Gregg Popovich foreshadowed growing racial divide, voter suppression efforts during reflection of MLK’s legacy
ICYMI: #Spurs coach Gregg Popovich discusses legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Says MLK stood for "justice" above everything. The assault on voting rights marchers known as “Bloody Sunday” was instrumental in getting the act passed in 1965. In retrospect, it makes sense that Popovich would strike a somber tone last year when discussing Dr. King and the racial divide in the US. Dr. King did not ignore it, and it’s a big fear now that we have a group in power that is very willing to ignore it. Popovich was a cadet at the Air Force Academy when Dr. King was assassinated in 1968.
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Harlandale ISD changes course on MLK holiday, adds extra school day instead
SAN ANTONIO – Harlandale ISD announced Wednesday that Martin Luther King Jr. Day would remain a holiday on district calendars this school year and that an extra day has been added to the school year instead. According to an announcement by the district, the initial decision to exchange the Martin Luther King holiday with the Election Day holiday was decided by a survey sent to all employees last month. Because of COVID-19 concerns, the district wanted to keep students and staff away from campuses that were being utilized as voting locations. “We believe that the King’s Day celebration is an important day in our collective history,” Hudspeth said in a statement. King’s work was to ensure equality and equal justice for all people; this should be our work as well.