The African American civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner known for his impassioned speeches, was assassinated in 1968.<\/a><\/p>\n King would have turned 97 years old Thursday, Jan. 15. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, marked on the third Monday of January, honors his legacy, his message of non-violent fight for racial equality and freedom.<\/p>\n Across Southern California, people continue to recognize King with visual tributes, monuments and reclaimed public spaces across the region.<\/p>\n Here are several, from Orange to Los Angeles to San Bernardino, that you can see for yourselves.<\/p>\n Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Tree Grove<\/a> <\/p>\n Inside the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, 4100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles<\/p>\n Overlooking downtown Los Angeles, the grove was built at the highest point of the recreation area in Baldwin Hills.<\/p>\n The monument<\/a> features an obelisk \u2014 similar to the Washington Monument \u2014 inscribed with some of King\u2019s messages, which Los Angeles County officials say evoke memories of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom<\/a>, where King delivered the historic \u201cI Have a Dream\u201d speech on the National Mall. Leaders dedicated the site in 2018 with a march attended by hundreds<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe once you experience the Memorial Tree Grove here at the very top of Hahn Park, you will find few other spaces that so peacefully and so exquisitely facilitate reflection in his honor,\u201d then-L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas said at the dedication. \u201cThere\u2019s no other individual who has inspired us, challenged us, and motivated us to create a world filled with more civility, equality and dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n Martin Luther King Jr. Park and statue<\/a><\/p>\n 1950 Lemon Ave., Long Beach<\/p>\n The city\u2019s 1.17-acre park was dedicated June 13, 1964, as 19th Street Playground. After King\u2019s assassination in 1968, the name of the park was changed to honor him.<\/p>\n A sculpture of King giving a sermon<\/a>, by Larry D. Stokes, was installed in 1986 through community funding and has seen incidents of vandalism and theft<\/a>. A plaque at the base of the statue<\/a>, honoring the donors and supporters of the monument with a quote from King, was also stolen. The park has been expanded for recreation and is the site of Long Beach\u2019s annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cPeace Makers\u201d mural<\/a> by Jose M. Loza <\/p>\n Seaside Park, 14th Street and Chestnut Avenue, Long Beach\u00a0<\/p>\n The park, located on the site of an old hospital<\/a>, was developed by the city and features two murals by artist Jose Loza.<\/p>\n The 325-foot long, 10-foot high \u201cPeace Makers\u201d mural covers a full wall that borders the soccer field, and depicts King with the quote, \u201cAt the center of nonviolence stands the principle of love,\u201d from his 1957 article \u201cNonviolence and Racial Justice\u201d<\/a> published in Christian Century, a liberal weekly religious magazine.<\/p>\n Loza\u2019s mural features 11 figures from throughout history \u2014 including Rosa Parks, the Dalai Lama, Gandhi, Cesar E. Chavez, Nelson Mandela, Chuon Nath, Dolores Huerta and Harvey Milk \u2014 whose legacies included messages of peace, equality and non-violence.<\/p>\n King Memorial at the Compton Civic Center<\/a><\/p>\n 205 S. Willowbrook Drive, Compton<\/p>\n The focus of an outdoor plaza at the city\u2019s Civic Center is an angled white sculpture arranged in a circle<\/a> and converging at the top to reflect the form of a mountain<\/a> \u2014 a reference to King\u2019s words: \u201cI\u2019ve been to the mountaintop.\u201d Designed by artist Gerald Gladstone<\/a> and architect Harold L. Williams in 1978, the sculpture takes a late-modernist style.<\/p>\n Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard<\/a><\/p>\n South Los Angeles<\/p>\n A major artery going through South L.A., the 7-mile-long Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard runs east and west.<\/p>\n It was initially called Santa Barbara Boulevard until Jan. 15, 1983, King\u2019s birthday.<\/p>\n Local leaders and organizations, led by prominent bail bondsman and activist Celes King III \u2014 no relation to King \u2014 pushed for the name change,<\/a> three years before President Ronald Reagan declared King\u2019s birthday a national holiday. Freedom Square intersection \u2014 at Crenshaw and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards \u2014 features a bust of Celes King. The street is also a hub for L.A.\u2019s longstanding Kingdom Day Parade<\/a>, one of the oldest celebrations honoring King<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cOnly Light, Only Love\u201d mosaic mural<\/a> by Shinique Smith<\/p>\n At the Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. L.A. Metro station, along the K Line<\/p>\n A glass mosaic<\/a> at the L.A. Metro rail station\u2019s Martin Luther King Jr. stop along the K Line features abstract calligraphy fragments of King\u2019s words within the piece.<\/p>\n The colorful and reflective artwork, unveiled with the Metro station in 2022, aims to reach transit riders on the busy line. Smith said she was inspired by King\u2019s quotation: \u201cDarkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith said she used the passage<\/a> \u201cas a connective line in the composition that created a rhythm of movement and the heartbeat throughout the piece.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRev. King Jr. and Dr. Drew\u201d by Tina Allen<\/p>\n King Drew Magnet High School, 1601 E. 120th St., Los Angeles<\/p>\n Installed in 1998, a 30-foot high relief sculpture<\/a> is on the southwest building facade of King Drew Magnet High School<\/a> in South L.A.\u2019s Willowbrook area.<\/p>\n It features King with the school\u2019s namesake, Dr. Charles R. Drew, who was known for his contributions to science and medicine. The late Allen<\/a>\u00a0sculpted prominent African Americans throughout history.<\/p>\n Inland Empire Martin Luther King Jr. statue<\/p>\n 9th and Main streets in downtown Riverside, near Riverside City Hall<\/p>\n The figure of King bearing the phrase \u201cI Have a Dream\u2026\u201d is on downtown Riverside\u2019s Civil Rights Walk<\/a>, which features six bronze statues<\/a> of prominent civil rights leaders between the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa<\/a> and City Hall.<\/p>\n The statue was erected in 1998 with help from the city\u2019s African American Historical Society, led by community leader Rose Mayes. It depicts King walking, his arms around two children, and a cloak with reliefs of figures from Black history, including Rosa Parks. The historical society has been fundraising to enhance the statue<\/a> \u2014 which has been the target of vandalism \u2014 and the plaza around it.<\/p>\n Martin Luther King Jr. statue<\/a><\/p>\n San Bernardino City Hall, 290 N. D St., San Bernardino<\/p>\n An 11-foot-tall, 1-ton-pound statue of King<\/a> wearing a suit and tie, with his wounded left hand on his chest, is at the entrance of San Bernardino City Hall.<\/p>\n It was sculpted by Julian Martinez Soto. A nearby plaque titled \u201cThe Dreamer\u201d details the statue\u2019s origin, which came about with help from community funding. It calls King a \u201clegend of non-violent revolution that changed the course of American history.\u201d<\/p>\n The statue<\/a> was dedicated and unveiled in November 1981.<\/p>\n Martin Luther King High School<\/a><\/p>\n 9301 Wood Road, Riverside<\/p>\n The campus opened in the Orangecrest neighborhood on Riverside\u2019s south side in August 1999 after some early controversy.<\/p>\n The Riverside Unified School District board voted unanimously in 1998 to name<\/a> the school after King \u2014 a story that made national news after some resistance<\/a> from residents who wanted the school\u2019s name to reflect the region\u2019s citrus heritage or to have a Riverside connection. Some foes suggested that naming the school for King could jeopardize college admissions for students, because of possible assumptions they had attended a mostly Black school.<\/p>\n Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard<\/a><\/p>\n This east-to-west street runs between Kansas Avenue and the 215 Freeway.<\/p>\n Stretching nearly 2 miles through a part of Riverside\u2019s once-predominantly Black Eastside neighborhood, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard was renamed from Pennsylvania Avenue in 1993 after calls from community members and The Martin Luther King Jr. Visionaries.<\/p>\n One city commissioner, Ronald Green, said that putting a Black leader\u2019s name on a street leading into a diverse neighborhood had racial overtones. The street also connects UC Riverside<\/a> with downtown Riverside, where it becomes 14th Street.<\/p>\n The street is on the route\u00a0of the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Walk-A-Thon<\/a>\u00a0each January.<\/p>\n Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. bust at Chapman University<\/a><\/p>\n 315 E. Palm Ave., Orange<\/p>\n A bust of King, located in front of the school\u2019s Moulton Hall, was sculpted by Ed Dwight and dedicated Jan. 1, 1994.<\/p>\n It commemorates the civil rights leader\u2019s visit to the private university for a 1961 lecture<\/a>.<\/p>\n That speech<\/a> \u2014 delivered two years prior to the March on Washington and before the height of King\u2019s fame<\/a> \u2014 was about current events, racial equality and King\u2019s non-violent ethos. King also visited Orange County in March 1968<\/a> to attend the annual California Democratic Council convention at the Anaheim Convention Center.<\/p>\n \t\t\t![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RPE-L-KINGTRIBUTES-0119-DK-23.jpg\")
A memorial obelisk honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is seen Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, at the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area in Los Angeles. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)
\nLos Angeles County<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RPE-L-KINGTRIBUTES-0119-DK-02.jpg\")
A statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. by Larry D. Stokes is seen Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Long Beach. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RPE-L-KINGTRIBUTES-0119-DK-05.jpg\")
A mural called \u201cPeace Makers\u201d featuring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., by Jose M. Loza, is seen Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, at Seaside Park in Long Beach. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RPE-L-KINGTRIBUTES-0119-DK-19.jpg\")
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial by Gerald Gladstone is seen Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in the Compton Civic Center. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RPE-L-KINGTRIBUTES-0119-DK-08.jpg\")
The intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. and Crenshaw boulevards in Los Angeles is seen Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RPE-L-KINGTRIBUTES-0119-DK-11.jpg\")
The \u201cOnly Light, Only Love\u201d mosaic by Shinique Smith adorns the entrance to the Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. L.A. Metro station in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RPE-L-KINGTRIBUTES-0119-DK-16.jpg\")
A 30-foot-high relief sculpture featuring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is seen Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at King Drew Magnet High School in Willowbrook. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)<\/p>\n
\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RPE-L-KINGTRIBUTES-0119-ASP-08.jpg\")
A statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is seen Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in downtown Riverside. The sculpture, created in 1999 by artist Lisa Reinertson, features children alongside King in reference to his \u201cI Have a Dream\u201d speech. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun\/SCNG)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RPE-L-BESTEDS-0123-ASP-18.jpg\")
A statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. outside San Bernardino City Hall is seen Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. The sculpture, created by artist Julian Martinez Soto, features King with a wounded left hand resting on his chest. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun\/SCNG)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RPE-L-KINGTRIBUTES-0119-ASP-01.jpg\")
A mural of the school\u2019s namesake, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., is seen Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun\/SCNG)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RPE-L-KINGTRIBUTES-0119-ASP-12.jpg\")
A street sign on Martin Luther King Boulevard in Riverside\u2019s Eastside neighborhood is seen Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, as traffic moves by. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun\/SCNG)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RPE-L-KINGTRIBUTES-0119-07-MS.jpg\")
A bust of\u00a0the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. that adorns a walkway at Chapman University in Orange is seen Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. The civil rights leader visited\u00a0the college in 1961. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)
\nOrange County<\/p>\n