A Life and Legacy to Remember

Bergenites can honor Martin Luther King Jr. by listening, learning and doing good for others.
Anastasiia Chokhliad,
1 Mlk Day

 

After a tumultuous year and a rocky start nationally in 2021, there’s no better time than now to do good. Today, Jan. 15, marks what would have been the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 92nd birthday, and we commemorate the civil rights leader’s life and legacy annually on the third Monday of January.

When it was first established, the federal holiday was used to educate people, both young and old, about King’s dream of racial harmony and his peaceful approach to achieve it. Since then, it’s also become a National Day of Service, when all Americans are encouraged to volunteer in their community. In Bergen County, you can do both. Residents can visit and reflect at the county’s Martin Luther King Jr. Monument in Hackensack or take part in one of the activities below:

  • Friday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m.: “Through A Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of A People,” virtual film screening followed by Q&A with the Rev. Mack Brandon. Register with the Ridgewood Public Library.
  • Monday, Jan. 18: Webinar with religious leaders from Glen Rock and Ridgewood featuring King’s last Sunday sermon from March 31, 1968. Attend the event via Zoom.
  • Monday, Jan. 18, 10 a.m.: Interfaith Service live stream hosted by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee of Ridgewood and Glen Rock. Join the service at the committee’s Facebook page.
  • Monday, Jan. 18, 6:30 p.m.: “Where Do We Go From Here?,” a virtual celebration hosted by the Teaneck-based Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Committee. Visit the committee’s website for login information.

Also check out AmeriCorps, which leads the Day of Service campaign. It has a search tool on its website that can provide a range of community-service opportunities, from distributing coat donations to joining your local volunteer fire department.

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