Irvington NAACP to host Black History Month event

IRVINGTON, NJ — The Irvington NAACP will host a program for Black History Month on Feb. 1, at 7 p.m., at Greater New Point Baptist Church, according to Irvington NAACP President Merrick Harris on Tuesday, Jan. 23.

“Our guest speaker is going to be Wade McIver, a black historian who majored in black history. He is going to give us a little presentation on that night. He’s an Irvington resident, by the way,” Harris added.

Harris also announced the NAACP is interested in organizing candidates night forums for the Irvington Board of Education election set for Tuesday, April 17, and the nonpartisan municipal election Tuesday, May 8.

“Hopefully I can get a list of the board of education candidates, once they file, so that we can hold a forum,” said Harris. “The same thing goes for the mayoral and Municipal Council election in May. I hope I can get that information in time for our March meeting, so that we can organize something. The filing deadline is March 5 for the May 8 election so, hopefully, we can have a forum in April.”

According to township clerk Harold Wiener, the nominating petitions for those interested in running for mayor or the three at large seats on the Irvington Municipal Council are now available at his office inside the Municipal Building in Civic Square.

“The petitions are available, starting today,” said Wiener on Tuesday, Jan. 2. “The filing deadline is Monday, March 5, at 4 p.m., for anyone interested in running in the May 8 election and 292 signatures are needed on the nominating petitions for either mayor or an at large council seat. You have to be registered to vote in Irvington a year prior to the election, in order to run for any of the elected municipal public offices.”

Regarding the BOE election, Harris is not optimistic about organizing a forum before the vote, but said he will try anyway.

“I believe the Board of Education deadline is on Feb. 26, but I don’t know who’s running against them,” said Harris. “I’m going to have to keep in touch with the Board of Education. Last year, I had to go to the board myself and find out who was running. I was questioned about why we didn’t have a forum, but that’s because I didn’t know anybody was running.”