The Hoboken schools united at Church Square Park at 10 p.m. Friday for Hoboken’s second annual Martin Luther King March to City Hall. Hundreds of students, teachers, parents, government officials, local clergy members and community organizations, including the NAACP, participated in the rally.
Signs that read messages of peace, freedom and justice were held high, while Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World” was played.
Some of the most inspired marchers were the second grade students from the Hoboken Charter School, who proudly held up signs they had drawn and colored themselves.
“In school, we leaned how he changed the world with peace,” said Tiffany Martinez, 7, of the Hoboken Charter School. “We made our own signs this year, and I wrote ‘Freedom and Peace’ on mine, because that’s what he wanted.”
“We’re doing a march from Martin Luther King, because he made peace by saying blacks and whites could be together, and people used to not like that,” said Rebecca Joyce, 7, of the Hoboken Charter School.
Eight-year-old Hoboken Charter School student Ben Lenz was particularly moved by King’s message.
“Martin Luther King helped everyone by making things fair, no matter what color, religion or anything you were,” said Ben. “Blacks were treated very badly by whites, because blacks came to America as slaves. When they weren’t slaves anymore and were free, they were still treated like slaves and that was very stupid, because that was unfair and disgraceful.”
As much as King has changed our country, some students said the march signifies an ongoing battle.
“We’re celebrating Black History Month, and Monday is Martin Luther King Day, so we’re marching for freedom,” said Hoboken Catholic Academy student Bridgett Newell, 13. “There’s still a lot to fight for, because there’s a lot of racism in the world against blacks and other ethnic races.”
Leaders of the rally also said that the march was to help build a sense of unity in Hoboken.
“We’re here to honor Dr. King to encourage service in the community and to encourage the idea that schools and organizations can work together rather than be separated,” said Pricilla Moody, a second grade teacher at the Hoboken Charter School.
But King’s efforts were best described by Hudson School student Patrice Enoe, 15.
“Because of Martin Luther King, we, as African-Americans, can go to school, ride the bus and have equal rights like everyone else,” said Patrice. “I go to a private school that’s very diverse, and that’s one of his accomplishments. I have to take the bus from Newark everyday, and he’s the reason why I can get on it.”
Upcoming events
As part of Martin Luther King, Jr., Week, the following events will also occur:
On Monday, Jan. 15, Jill Singleton will be coordinating a Service Fair, which will an event devoted to enlisting volunteers and raising funds for community based organizations. Tables manned by volunteers will give members of the community an opportunity to learn how they can participate in neighborhood projects. The fair will be held at All Saints Parish, located at 707 Washington St. in Hoboken, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
On Friday, January 19, Ruby Bridges, the first African-American child to integrate into the all white public school system in New Orleans in 1960, will lead a communitywide reflection and celebration of King’s legacy at 10 a.m. at Hoboken High School, located on Ninth and Clinton streets. Bridges has recently published her autobiography Through My Eyes, and will share her experiences as a schoolchild with the children and community of Hoboken.
“This event will serve as a wrap up and look ahead to keeping King’s dream alive in Hoboken,” said Singleton. For more information on these events, call the Hoboken Charter School at 963-0222.