Willie Brown Jr., speaker of the California State Assembly, will give the keynote address for a program commemorating the birthday of the late Martin Luther King Jr. on Saturday, Jan. 15, in Freeborn Hall at the University of California, Davis. Brown will address this year's theme, "Our Young Black Males Are Killing Each Other: How Can We Uplift Them?" His talk is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. At its conclusion he will take questions from the audience. The program is free and open to the public. First elected to the Assembly in 1964, the Democrat from San Francisco was named chair of the Committee on Ways and Means at the age of 37 -- making him the youngest to serve in that position in California history. Brown also has served the longest in California state government history as speaker of the Assembly, a post he has held since 1980. Preceding Brown's talk will be musical and theatrical performances by the UC Davis Gospel Choir and by student actors appearing in a play called "Freedom's Cost." In addition, jazz artist Ron Moton will perform. The program will begin at 7:45 p.m., with Freeborn Hall opening its doors at 7:15 p.m. This year's program is sponsored by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Theta Eta chapter, a community service organization at UC Davis. The fraternity began honoring the civil rights leader in 1980 for the purpose of recognizing distinguished achievement made by members of the African American community.