ENGLEWOOD, N.J.—On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the citizens of Englewood joined people throughout United States and around the world in honoring the the non-violent civil rights leader’s legacy.
Early that morning, Rev. Preston Thompson of Ebenezer Baptist Church addressed over 100 people who had gathered in front of City Hall, reciting a prayer and calling for the community to uphold King’s fight for equality, dignity, and freedom.
This year marked the 50th year of Englewood’s MLK march, and for the first time, the event included rabbis and congregants from five local synagogues. They arrived holding both the American flag and the Israeli flag together, signaling how deeply the Jewish community feels a kinship and solidarity with their Englewood neighbors.
Inspirational remarks were also made by Rabbi Chaim Poupko and Rabbi Lindsey Healey-Pollock, followed by a short speech by Mayor Michael Wildes.
Thompson led the march through Englewood to the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he is the senior pastor. Hundreds of people were there to hear “The Marathon Continues: The Journey to a Righteous and Just Society” worship service, which began with hymns sung by the Unity Choir and Kevin Grace playing the bagpipe.
Thompson gave the invocation and a group of Englewood Boy Scouts from Troop 28 led the Pledge of Allegiance. There were also several girl scouts from Troop 95817 seated in the pews.
There followed responsive reading led by Sarayah Maxwell and prayers recited by Rabbi Lindsey Healey-Pollack, Rev. Dr. William H. Allport of St. Paul’s Church and Imam Muhammad Shahidullah.
During the program, Freeholder David Ganz presented Thompson with a Resolution.
Wildes then came to the podium and once again, spoke eloquently.
“To this day,” he said, “Dr. King’s very name and legacy still creates a sense of optimism, a guiding light for all America. His life illuminated what virtues we hope for in our leaders, we hope for in our country, and what virtues our country should project and protect globally.
“King graced our City and actually visited Englewood. Years later another mayor honored Rosa Parks and I had the privilege to present many keys to the city to Tuskegee Fighters. These were all heroes who at one point either sat or stood up for our country when it didn’t for them when they returned from their service to our country,” Wildes said. “On this day, Jan. 20, 2020, let us import his tradition into this New Year. Let us remind ourselves that equality should not only be tolerated, but celebrated. The public should not only hope for integrity from its leaders, but demand it.”
The program also included a poetry reading by Jeannette Curtis-Rideau and a performance by the YCLC Dance Ministry.
The guest speaker, Bishop Dwayne D. Royster, the national political director for Faith in Action and Pastor of Faith at the United Church of Christ in Washington D.C., delivered a fiery and impassioned sermon that had audience members standing, cheering, clapping and shouting “Amen!”
Bishop said, “I am not here to give the sanitized speech about Martin Luther King and about his desire for peace. I am speaking about the agitator who followed the teaching of Jesus and not the unjust laws, who had the audacity to live his values and didn’t care what other people thought. He was jailed because he refused to allow people to not be given equal rights.”
Royster declared that America today is a failed democracy that does not adhere to the Declaration of Independence, which stated that all men are created equal.
“People of color and women are not treated as equals and even some white men are not,” Royster said. “It is the rich white men who make the decisions in our country, and we need to rise up and change that. We have sold our souls for peace, but there is no peace.”
He referenced all the incarcerations and separation of children from their parents that is currently taking place today and the fact that many seniors have to choose between eating and health care.
Bishop Royster emphasized that we need to have equality for all of our lives, no matter what our religion and no matter what language we speak.
He concluded with a dramatic declaration.
“We all need to be architects of a new world. We need to rise up and take the position that what is happening in our communities and in the world now is just not acceptable. If we do not choose to be architects, we will be funeral undertakers!”
At 1 p.m., when the program ended, there were many discussions about the provocative food for thought that had been provided by the speakers and the ideals of King.
Community dignitaries participating in the march included: state Assemblyman Gordon Johnson, Councilwoman Katharine Glynn, Councilman Michael Cohen, Deputy Police Chief Gregory Halstead, County Freeholder Mary Amoroso, County Clerk John Hogan, NAACP Bergen County President Jeff Carter, and other community leaders.
In addition to the dignitaries who participated in the march, there were many more at the church, including Englewood Council President Charles Cobb, Councilman Wayne Hamer, Freeholder Ganz, County Sheriff Anthony Cureton and Police Chief Lawrence Suffern.