On Monday, Michael Melham led a ceremony at City Hall to commemorate the birthday and honor the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Officials said Councilmen Vinny Cozzarelli, Councilman Thomas Graziano and Township Manager Anthony Iacono also participated as a special flag bearing Dr. King’s image was raised over City Hall.
Guest speakers, Rev. Dwayne McCain of the Little Zion Church and Darryl Jeffries, president of the Maplewood/Oranges chapter of the NAACP, spoke about Dr. King’s eternal message of hope and vision of service to our neighbors.
“It’s become a tradition to share some of Dr. King’s most beloved quotes on his birthday,” Melham said.
“The one that I shared in honor of his birthday this year is as true today as it was when he said the words 55 years ago.”
“We must rapidly begin the shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society.
When machines and computers, profit motives, and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.”