Trenton, NJ New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine and Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells are proud to welcome all to the Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Celebration Sunday, January 20, 2008, at Patriots Theater in the War Memorial in Trenton, New Jersey from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. To reserve seats, please call 609-777-4134.
This year’s King Holiday Celebration will prove especially poignant and reflective as 2008 represents the 40th anniversary of Dr. King’s passing.
“As we honor the life and legacy of Dr. King, it’s paramount that we do so with one eye toward the future as well as the past,” said Governor Corzine. “The themes of fairness, equality and social justice are timeless, and we use this holiday celebration to remind everyone that many of the struggles of Dr. King’s lifetime remain with us today, and all of us have a stake in continuing to fight in 2008 and beyond.”
The 2008 King Celebration will feature a keynote speech by the Reverend, Dr. Calvin McKinney, Pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church of North Jersey. Bob Pickett, Esq and Bob Slade, Co-Hosts of KISS-FM’s popular “Open Line Show” will serve as the Masters of Ceremonies. Other speakers will include Secretary Nina Mitchell Wells and MLK Commissioners William Hahn, Geraldine Clark and Stephenine S. Dixon. Governor Jon S. Corzine has been invited to attend.
Three outstanding New Jersey citizens will be recognized with the Drum Major Awards. The Drum Major Awards are presented to individuals whose leadership, service and contributions have helped to advance Dr. King’s legacy.
During the multicultural portion of the program, performances will feature Bryant Barnett of South Orange; Rahway Dance Theater of Rahway; Rosa Parks High School of Performing Arts of Paterson; Di’Shon Gill of East Orange; Unit Community Center Praise Dancers of Camden; Phillipsburg High School’s Step Team of Phillipsburg; the Christian Love Baptist Church Youth Choir of Irvington; and Kareem Absolu, 2007 MLK Scholarship recipient.
“We are absolutely thrilled at the collection of unique and diverse guests and performers for this year’s King Holiday Celebration,” noted Secretary Wells. “It’s truly a testament to the lasting legacy of Dr. King that the 2008 Holiday Celebration is expected to be the most successful yet. We invite everyone to come join us in ensuring that his life, work and dreams are carried on for generations to come."
For more information on the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr., as well as information on the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Commission, please visit http://www.nj.gov/state/mlk/index.html.
Again, to reserve your seats for this year’s Annual King Holiday Celebration, please call 609-777-4134.
The New Jersey Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission is a division of the Department of State. Created by Executive Order in 1984, its mission is to raise public awareness of Dr. King’s ideals and philosophy through a variety of educational and cultural programs including the Annual Commemorative Celebration, a grants program, a scholarship program, internships, traveling poster exhibits, and a lending library. Leading the nation, New Jersey recognized Dr. King’s birthday as a state holiday in 1977, and was the first state to secure a legislated Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission in 1989.
