Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day came early in Kansas, beginning on his birthday with a march, a formal proclamation and words honoring the beloved civil rights figure. The Jan. 16 event, put on annually by the Kansas African American Affairs Commission,

A MLK Jr. Walk on Monday will provide an opportunity for reflection from the Heartland Conservation Alliance and KC Parks. It will begin at 9 a.m. at MLK Jr. Square Park at Woodland Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Kansas City, and end at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center, 3700 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Two Wichita groups have organized three events to commemorate the life and ideals of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on the federal holiday — Monday, Jan. 20 — that recognizes the civil rights leader’s birthday.