The poet, author, educator and public speaker Nikki Giovanni has died at 81.

The San Antonio ISD community is actively trying to get the neighborhoods involved in what happens to the buildings left empty following the district’s “Rightsizing” plan.

Two books based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning “1619 Project” will be released this fall, with contributions from Jesmyn Ward, Jason Reynolds, Ibram X.

SAN ANTONIO – “Reverend Callies started marching before people even knew what marching was,” said Renee Watson, current chair of the MLK Commission. And we don’t allow him to be left out of the conversation about the MLK march.”Reverend Dr. Raymond A. Callies Sr. was known as a community activist who fought for better conditions for African-Americans in San Antonio. He studied and followed the philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.“When Dr. King was assassinated, that took him to a different level,” Watson said. In 1986, then-Mayor Henry Cisneros established the MLK commission to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King through scholarships, acts of service and events. AdMORE BLACK HISTORY IN SAN ANTONIO:

SAN ANTONIO – Renee Watson is the chair of The City of San Antonio’s MLK Commission. Catch up on all of the latest KSAT Q&As here or watch them live at 6:30 p.m. and on the Nightbeat.

SAN ANTONIO – The Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration in San Antonio will look a lot different this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Alamo City is known for having the largest MLK Day march in the nation, which roughly attracts 300,000 participants every year. But in the midst of the pandemic, the MLK Commission has had to pivot and adjust. Renee Watson, chair of the MLK Commission, joined Leading SA on Sunday to discuss what we can expect for this year’s celebration. Watson and the MLK Commission are asking community members not to march together due to the uptick in area coronavirus cases.

SAN ANTONIO – The city’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission on Wednesday is expected to give details on next year’s MLK march, which will take place virtually instead of in-person due to the pandemic. Mayor Ron Nirenberg, interim commission chair Renee Watson and District 2 Councilwoman Jada Andrews-Sullivan will make the announcement at 11:15 a.m. It has been held every year in San Antonio since Jan. 19, 1987. The commission initially said the virtual event could include a 2-hour feature of speakers, entertainment and scholarship receptions. WATCH: Throwback Thursday: A look back at the history of San Antonio’s MLK March