ARTIFACTS – "Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable." -Martin Luther King Jr.

➔ Juan L. Sanchez performs a “concert” of Spanish poets of the 20th century, including Lorca, Miguel Hernandez, Rafael Alberti and Machado, 7:30pm Thursday at Pacific Grove Public Library. It’s $10 for general admission.

➔ Thornton Wilder wrote to his friend Gertrude Stein in 1937: “It’s a little play with all the big subjects in it.” His play he was referring to was Our Town, which the kids of Santa Catalina School in Monterey are doing 7:30pm Friday and Saturday, 2pm Sunday, Jan. 16-24. $8-$12. 655-9398 for info.

➔ Michael Buffo of HARA Motion Pictures and Larry Welch of Monterey High School Players premiere a joint documentary, The Merchant at Monterey High, that follows Welch and students in staging Shakespeare‘s The Merchant of Venice. Don’t expect David Lean (see a trailer at www.haramotionpictures.com). $5 donation. It screens in the Lecture Forum room 103 at Monterey Peninsula College 7:30pm Friday. 323-945-3979.

➔ You’ve seen the movie. You’ve heard the Golden Globe-winning song. Now re-enact the march. (Well, the more peaceful parts.) On Monday, the community is invited to gather in Seaside on a commemorative march along blocked off streets to Oldemeyer Center in remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr. and the many allies in the marches toward freedom for all. The national holiday is a family, community and political affair. Assemble at 1281 Broadway/Obama Way in Seaside (Dept. of Social Services) at 11am; the march begins at noon; 1pm for the program at Oldemeyer, keynoted by Dr. Bobby Joe Saucer, former Dean of Morehouse College (Dr. King’s alma mater). Bring a lunch. 899-3391.

➔ Selma keeps marching on in the collective memories of people who were there. Maria Gitin was one of them. The civil rights veteran shares stories in her book This Bright Light of Ours: Stories from the Voting Rights Fight, and in a talk and signing 6pm Wednesday at Monterey Institute of International Studies’ Morse Auditorium. It’s sponsored by the Monterey County YWCA. www.ThisBrightLightOfOurs.com.

➔ The Monterey County Film Commission has updated and released a new version of the Monterey County Movie Map brochure for tourists (and tourists at home) that highlights some of the more than 200 movies that have been filmed here. One of the first films was Thomas Edison’s 16-second silent black-and-white Surf at Monterey. Get the brochure at Monterey Visitor Center. 646-0910, www.FilmMonterey.org