Hundreds march to honor Martin Luther King Jr. in Sacramento as Donald Trump takes office
Hundreds of people celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Day on Monday, marching through the streets of Land Park.
As it has for decades, the annual March for the Dream rally in Sacramento drew people of all ages — infants in strollers to grandparents waving banners — who gathered to sing, dance and represent a litany of people, groups and causes. The event, now in its 43rd year, was mostly celebratory with attendees expressing joy and hope for King’s ongoing legacy.
The march landed on the same day as the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump who has promised mass deportations and used divisive language toward immigrants. In his inaugural address, Trump said he would declare a national emergency at the border and begin the process of returning “millions of criminal aliens back.”
Some marchers on Monday carried banners and signs directly referencing the president’s signature rhetoric including “no human being should be illegal” and “immigrants rights are civil rights.”
“On this day, let us inaugurate not just a new president, but a new attitude,” said MLK365 founder and lead organizer Sam Starks. “Let us step boldly and live out the dream.”
The rally continues to serve as a teaching moment for people young and old.
Take Michael Benjamin, who attended his first March for the Dream as an 11-year-old in 1985. Benjamin said he recalled feeling angry at his mother who dragged him to the event instead of letting him watch his morning cartoons. King’s birthday, celebrated the third Monday in January, became a federally observed holiday in 1986.
But the lesson from that day was life-changing, Benjamin said. He learned about the contributions of King and his courage to speak on behalf of people historically oppressed.
Benjamin has not missed the annual event since, except for a few years when he lived in Washington D.C. On Monday, he was the final speaker before the march started.
“I never saw myself going up there, but if it wasn’t for people like Dr. King, I never would be up there,” Benjamin said.
The march began and ended at Sacramento City College in what organizers called a “love loop” — from Sutterville Road to Freeport Boulevard through Land Park Road and Broadway and back to Freeport. Among those marching were Black advocates and youth empowerment groups, pro-Palestine protesters and several ethnic organizations, including the Indian Association of Sacramento and Black Child Legacy Campaign.
“It’s a testament to the most diverse region, city in America,” Starks said.
Sacramento was the 28th-most diverse city in the United States, according to 2024 WalletHub study, which looked at socioeconomic and cultural diversity.
Before the march began, several elected officials and community leaders addressed the crowd including Attorney General Rob Bonta, Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper and Sacramento council members Eric Guerra, Lisa Kaplan, Caity Maple and Rick Jennings.
Bonta shared a story about his father’s journey from Berkeley to Selma in 1965 to march alongside King. He did not reference the new president but has spent months saying that California is prepared to battle the incoming administration.
“We all need to fight to make sure that everyone has access to the California Dream and the American dream, no matter who you are, where you’re from, how you look, how you pray and who you love,” Bonta said. “It belongs to all of us.”
Other celebrations honored the legacy of King throughout the weekend. In south Sacramento, a caravan of cars and motorcycles began its parade Sunday at Luther Burbank High School.
The 26th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration will be held next Saturday at Sacramento State. Tickets must be purchased in advance at mlkcelebrationsacramento.org.
This story was originally published January 20, 2025 at 1:12 PM.
