(NEWARK, NJ) -- Clinton Hill Community Action (CHCA) is proud to host When King Came to Clinton Hill: Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington and “I Have a Dream” Speech this Sunday, August 27, 2023 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm in Clinton Hill. This amazing event is sponsored by the New Jersey Martin Luther King Jr. Commission. 

To honor Dr. King’s legacy and to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington and “I Have a Dream Speech,” we will recreate his walk through Clinton Hill in 1968, just 8 days before he was assassinated. Starting at Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, our march on Clinton Hill will take us along Hedden Terrace toward Clinton Avenue. Upon reaching that intersection, the crowd will be greeted by singer and songwriter Seychelle Elise, who will perform her rendition of a song by Aretha Franklin, a proud supporter of Dr. King and his work.

From there we will continue marching up Clinton Avenue to the corner of 10th Street and Deliverance Temple, formerly B’Nai Abraham Synagogue and one of King’s stops in 1968. There, famed musician Joshua Nelson will perform a Mahalia Jackson selection. Jackson famously shouted to Dr. King during his 1963 speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, “tell ‘em about the dream, Martin, tell ‘em about the dream!”

11-year-old Newark Public School student Selasie Amemasor will tell us about the dream at Deliverance Temple, as she will deliver Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech as he did 60 years ago.

From 10th Street, buses provided by Newark Public Schools will be on hand to shuttle attendees

to our final destination on the route, Malcolm X. Shabazz High School, where they will be greeted by the Malcolm X. Shabazz Marching Band. Formerly South Side High School, the Shabazz auditorium is the spot where Dr. King delivered a rousing speech during his visit to Newark in 1968.

At Malcolm X. Shabazz High School, Dr. Marion A. Bolden, Chairperson of the Newark Public Schools Historical Preservation Society and Chair of the Essex County College Board of Trustees, will host a conversation with members of the Class of 1968 and other individuals about their experiences during Dr. King’s final visit to the city.

Newark NAACP President Deborah Smith-Gregory will then moderate a panel discussion with distinguished leaders in Newark, including: Larry Hamm, Executive Director of the People’s Organization for Progress; Ryan Haygood, Executive Director of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice; Asia Norton, Esq., President of the Newark Board of Education; and A’Dorian Murray-Thomas, Chair of the New Jersey Democratic Women’s Caucus and a member of the Newark Board of Education.

Rumored to be in attendance are Mayor Ras J. Baraka and Congressman Donald Payne Jr. Notable confirmed attendees include Newark City Council Members Partick O. Council (South Ward), Louise Scott-Rountree (At Large), and C. Lawrence Crump (At Large).

United and keeping the dream alive, numerous local churches, organizations, block associations, sororities, and fraternities are taking time out of their Sunday routines to honor this day in Newark history!

Join us for a day that will not only honor Dr. King’s legacy, but will inspire Newark and Clinton Hill to continue working toward the dream that he shared 60 years ago. Information about this event can be found at www.clintonhillaction.org/events.

Clinton Hill Community Action (CHCA) is a nonprofit, community development organization that engages residents and partners to revitalize the Clinton Hill neighborhood in Newark’s South Ward. They believe this work must be led by residents, alongside partners who understand the centrality of the role of residents in naming challenges, identifying solutions that are most responsive to their hopes and aspirations, and collaboratively acting for sustained progress. CHCA facilitates this collaborative action and advocacy with a focus on quality, affordable housing, food security, economic empowerment, and environmental justice. Since their founding in 2019, they have worked to build trust in the community and engage residents to address long standing issues.