Locals honor MLK, celebrate Obama’s inauguration

Marchers head to the convention center in Dayton in honor of MLK Day Jan. 21, 2013. NICK GRAHAM / STAFF

Marchers head to the convention center in Dayton in honor of MLK Day Jan. 21, 2013. NICK GRAHAM / STAFF

Martin Luther King Day events in Dayton this morning drew large crowds despite the frigid temperatures.

Those marching started at the Charles R. Drew Health Center on West Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way and headed to the Dayton Convention Center on East Fifth Street.

President Barack Obama will be inaugurated in Washington D.C. today, and that is expected to begin at noon. The event will be televised at the convention center, which is located at 22 E. Fifth St.

Many across the U.S. were using social media to communicate about today’s inauguration. One official Twitter statistics account, @TwitterForNews, tweeted there were 82,000 tweets sent during the presidential inauguration ceremony in 2009, while from about 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. today, there were 124,000.

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Other Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday events

Today

11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Teen Day Celebrations at the Neon Movies, 130 E. Fifth St. Cost is free to the first 225 students. Movie shown will be "The First Grader."

1 p.m. - Piqua MLK YWCA MLK program, 418 N. Wayne St. Cost is free.

Tuesday

Noon - Wright State University's Unity March begins at the following four locations: Laurel Hall, Dunbar Library, Russ Engineering building, Forest Lane and, College Park C-Store. Marchers will then come together at the red Turning Points sculpture in the center of campus before going to a rally at the Student Union. Call Amaha Sellassie at 479-9757.

Thursday

Noon - Minnijean Brown Trickey, one of the Little Rock Nine, will speak at Wright State University. Event is free in the Apollo Room of the Student Union. Call 775-5645.

For more details about MLK Dayton Inc. events, visit www.mlkdayton.org.

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