Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Event Sacramento

Co-founder, Dr. Dorothy Enomoto, was a classmate and close friend of Dr. King. Their friendship – sealed by sharing valedictorian honors at Booker T. Washington Senior High School in Atlanta – continued through the remainder of his life. Co-Founder, Jerry Enomoto has the distinction of being the first Asian Pacific American to receive a presidential appointment as United States Marshal in 1994, when President Clinton did just that.

The late Congressman Robert T. Matsui served as the honorary co-chair at the inception of the dinner; his wife, Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui took over the role after his death in 2005.

A portion of the proceeds help fund the MLK Committee grant program. The MLK Committee is a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation.

 

About the Event

In 2024, we proudly mark the silver jubilee of our event, the MLK Celebration Sacramento, now in its 25th year, and the 11th annual MLK Essay Contest. This gathering serves as a unifying force for our community, honoring the enduring influence of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Our mission is to impart the wisdom of Dr. King and his contemporaries who played pivotal roles in the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

The life and work of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. serve as an enduring testament to the power of peaceful protest and social activism in the face of injustice. Dr. King tirelessly championed the cause of ending legal segregation against African Americans, co-founding the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for his dedication. His legacy continues to resonate deeply in shaping the race relations landscape of the United States. Since its national observance in January 1986, Martin Luther King Jr. Day has stood as a beacon, reminding us of Dr. King's commitment to civil rights, nonviolent resistance, and community service.

In the year 2000, Sacramentans Dr. Dorothy Enomoto and her husband, Jerry Enomoto, both close associates of Dr. King, initiated the annual MLK Celebration event for the greater Sacramento region. With the early support of the late Congressman Robert T. Matsui as honorary co-chair, their vision has brought together a diverse tapestry of our community. Elected officials, business leaders, law enforcement, non-profit organizations, representatives from various faiths, educators, students, and countless community members have converged to commemorate and embrace the indelible mark left by Dr. King.

Today, we continue to honor Dr. King's unwavering dedication to making the world a better place. We cordially invite you to join us for the 25th annual MLK Celebration event on Saturday, January 27, 2024, as we continue to pay tribute to the legacy of a man whose ideals remain as relevant and impactful as ever.

Honorary Event Chairwoman
Congresswoman Doris Matsui

 

 

IN  MEMORIAM

Jerry Enomoto  (1927 - 2016)  | Co-Founder MLK Celebration Sacramento
Dr. Dorothy Enomoto (1927 - 2017)  | Co-Founder MLK Celebration Sacramento

 

From the 2012 MLK Celebration - A Special Video Tribute To Dorothy and Jerry Enomoto

 

 

An Interview with Louis Morton - Memories From The 1963 March on Washington


View our interview with Louis Morton, who gives a firsthand account of his attendance at the August 28, 1963 event where he heard Dr. Martin Luther King deliver his "I Have A Dream" speech.

For information about the annual dinner, please contact Alcalay Communications at acgprsac@gmail.com