At a ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are, from left, People’s Organization for Progress Chairman Larry Hamm, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. and Deputy Chief of Staff William Payne.
NEWARK, NJ — Essex County hosted a ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Wednesday, April 4.
“Dr. King was one of our nation’s greatest leaders and one of his last public appearances was his visit to Newark, just a week before he was taken from us,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said. “His message of hope, peace and equality has resonated throughout the decades and inspired generations — and is just as poignant and relevant today as it was in 1968. Remembering his contributions and laying a wreath at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. statue in front of the Essex County Hall of Records is a fitting tribute to an individual whose guidance and foresight impacted our nation.”
Along with the county executive, elected officials, community leaders and students from the Essex County Newark Tech Campus shared what King means to them.
“I am a little conflicted because today is the anniversary of Dr. King’s death. But this is an opportunity to take back the negativity and celebrate a life that was taken away from us too early,” NJ State Sen. and Deputy Chief of Staff Teresa Ruiz said.
Deputy Chief of Staff William Payne talked about the various times he met King when the minister visited Newark.
“I saw him at an event at Abyssinian Church in Newark and said ‘I’ll see you next time’ as he was leaving. The next time I saw him was at his funeral,” Payne said. “Dr. King’s legacy needs to be known and understood by everyone, because we all have an obligation to continue his work.”
“I thank Dr. King for challenging the structure of our society and speaking about eradicating poverty, racism and war,” People’s Organization for Progress Chairman Larry Hamm said. “I am proud to be a resident of Essex County because I can stand next to his statue in this county complex. I am proud because Essex County is the only place where there are larger than life-sized statues of Dr. King and Rosa Parks.”
The students from Newark Tech also spoke from the heart about what King means to them.
“Dr. King has taught me to be a dreamer, an activist, and to dare to be someone who thinks outside the box. While there are still great strides to be made in our country regarding race relations, I believe his message for my generation should transcend to other areas, including gender equality, religious tolerance, LGBT advocacy, immigration, and gun control,” senior Abbey Lawrence said. “Collectively, we seek to create a world where man or woman, regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation, can be viewed and respected as an equal.”
“Today, April 4, we honor Dr. King once again for the love he gave, the ideas and visions he bestowed upon us, and the sacrifices he made to ensure that we live a life in which we are free. But the journey does not end there. It is essential that we finish where he left off. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s motive was and still is to grow with love, encourage with love and persist with love,” senior Shania Langford said.
“Martin Luther King Jr. was a man whom many individuals looked up to; he was a role model to those who had no hope. He fought for equal pay, attended churches where he inspired minorities to be strong, and even visited schools to help motivate and guide the younger generation. He went ahead and established a civil rights movement that inspired people all around the world. Dr. King empowered communities throughout the country to accomplish what many assumed to be impossible. He fought against the segregation of schools, pushed for equal pay for workers and led non-violent resistance to racial injustice,” senior Christian Gomez-Seino said.
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