30 to become Americans amid King holiday rites

1/2

Swipe or click to see more

BRUCE ASATO / basato@staradvertiser.com

Valdo Viglielmo, middle, flanked by Kent Reinker and Chloe Chan, took part in the Candlelight Bell Ringing Ceremony hosted Sunday by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition Hawaii. Viglielmo was instrumental in having the Nagasaki Peace Bell put up at its present site on the grounds of Honolulu Hale in 1990.

2/2

Swipe or click to see more

BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Viglielmo, left, watched Grace Miller ring the Nagasaki Peace Bell with Marsha Joyner, far right, during Sunday's ceremony.

Select an option below to continue reading this premium story.

Already a Honolulu Star-Advertiser subscriber? Log in now to continue reading.

Get unlimited access

From as low as $12.95 /mo.

Subscribe Now

As part of today’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will welcome 30 new U.S. citizens.

Carole Reynolds, a naturalized U.S. citizen and member of the NAACP, will be the keynote speaker. The event will take place at the Honolulu Field Office, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., fourth floor.

Several other activities are planned in commemoration of the slain civil rights leader, including a parade and unity rally. The parade, coordinated by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition-Hawaii, starts at Magic Island at 9 a.m. and will proceed down Kalakaua Avenue to Kapiolani Park, where a unity rally will follow.

The rally will feature food, entertainment, community booths and a children’s playground.

In addition, St. Elizabeth Episcopal Church will have a community worship at 6:30 p.m., and Church of the Crossroads will hold a Peace Maker Award ceremony at 7 p.m.

Hawaii has observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day since 1989. This year’s theme is taken from a King statement: "Our Lives Begin to End the Day We Become Silent About the Things That Matter."

———

The Associated Press contributed to this report.