During the first presidential election in 1789, an adult had to be white, male and landowning to be eligible to vote in most states. Today, a voter doesn’t have to be any of these things. It’s been a long road getting from there to here, a road cutting through mountains of bigotry, a path paved with sacrifice, a continuum reaching toward a horizon called justice. Voting is about far more than registering support for a specific candidate in a particular district, it’s about defying those blockading mountains, honoring those who sacrificed, and committing ourselves, as has the Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Committee, to reaching toward that bright horizon, and all the horizons beyond. Walk with us on the march toward making freedom ring and democracy shine.
Vote.
About Our Vision
The observance of the life of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. began in Teaneck, New Jersey as a Candlelight Ceremony upon his assassination on April 4, 1968. In subsequent years the Committee evolved to holding a celebration of Dr. King’s birthday in January. When a national holiday emerged, the observance has been held on the third Monday of January. This annual observance, held in various houses of worship, churches, and temples, is an inclusive, racial, religious, equitable service that attempts not only to remember Dr. King’s life but is an effort to raise awareness of human rights issues. In addition, recognition is given to community organizations that best exemplify the ideals of Dr. King and awards scholarships to high school students who excel academically and make significant contributions to their community through volunteerism. Our purpose is also to raise awareness of human rights issues by supporting organizations that best exemplify the ideals of Dr. King. This Bergen County Committee’s true mission is to address Dr. King’s Question:
“What have you done for others?”
“I Have a Dream…Our Shared Destiny” 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington August 27, 2023
“I Have a Dream…Our Shared Destiny” 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington August 27, 2023
Our Shared Destiny Attendees Continuing the Dream.
Our Shared Destiny Attendees Continuing the Dream.
Our Shared Destiny Attendees Continuing the Dream.
Our Shared Destiny Attendees Continuing the Dream.
Our Shared Destiny Attendees Continuing the Dream.
Greeting One Another Around the Statue.
Our Shared Destiny Attendees.
Our Shared Destiny Attendees.
Master of Ceremony, Clinton Lacey, President & CEO, CM3, Credible Messenger Mentoring Movement
Honor Guard of Bergen County New Jersey
Pastor Gather Around the Podium
Valerie Johnson Leading the Singing of the Negro National Anthem
Our Shared Destiny Attendees Signing the Negro National Anthem
Receiving A Proclamation from Left to Right, Barbara Giarmo, Bergen County Commissioner, Mary Amoroso, Bergen County Executive, James Tedesco, III, Theodra Lacey, and Bergen County Sherriff, Anthony Cureton
Michael Pagan, Teaneck Mayor
Gerard Carroll, Hackensack City Councilman
Dr. Benjamin Rifkin, Provost, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Metropolitan Campus
Gail Smith, President, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Iota Epsilon Omega Chapter. Bergen County, New Jersey and Past-President, Teaneck Community Chorus
Alexander McLucas, District Director of New Jersey Association of Alpha Phi Alpha Chapters
Tara Edmunds, President, Bergen County Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Quron Gee, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
Jaclyn Durant, Past President, National Coalition of 100 Black Women
Timothy Thompson, Nu Beta Beta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi
Maire Brosnan Katavolos, Chief Operating Officer, YWCA NNJ
Jeff Carter, President, NAACP Bergen County
Laila Guilford, Jack & Jill
Kasai Sanchez, Teaneck Youth Advisory and Recipient of the New Jersey State MLK Commission 2023 Scholarship
Maredia Warren, President, Bergen County Links
Eric Sandhusen, Ethical Culture Society of Bergen
Medjina Milfort, FDU Black Student Union
Rosa Williams, President, Teaneck,-Englewood & Vicinity Clubs
Rabbi Steven Sirbu, Temple Emeth, Teaneck
Rowena Madden, Executive Director of the MLK State Commission
Enjoying the Golden Voices of The Nasheed Nightingales of New Jersey
Clinton Lacey Offering Closing Remarks
Imam Saeed Qureshi, Benediction, Imam of Dar-ul-Islah, Teaneck
Dr. Charles and Dr. Maredia Wareen , Providing the Music Selections for Part One of the Program
Our Shared Destiny Attendees Join in Singing “We Shall Over Come”
Attendees Listening to the Video Presentation on the Reflections of the 1963 March on Washington
Ardie Walser Singing “A Change is Gonna Come”
Reggie Pittman of the Reggie Pittman and the Loren Daniels Quartet
Valerie Johnson Singing with Reggie Pittman and the Loren Daniels Quartet
The Reggie Pittman and the Loren Daniels Quartet featuring Vivian Sessoms
Vivian Sessoms Singing
Jeanette Curtis-Rideau, Theodora Lacey, Vivian Sessoms, and Barbara Giarmo
