MANCHESTER –New Jersey’s new Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell served as the keynote speaker at the 57th Annual Manchester Township School District’s Gospel Chorus Tribute, celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Caldwell is also a pastor of the Covenant United Methodist Church of Plainfield. He formerly served as the executive director of the Rothman Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Fairleigh Dickenson University, president of the Educational Services Commission, and Deputy Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.
He was sworn in as lieutenant governor on January 19, a few days after the township MLK program and remarked, “I love the mix that you are doing here to celebrate Dr. King. My dad did march arm and arm with Dr. King in 1965 for a march to integrate the Boston public schools. I grew up around that. My dad would absolutely love this program. He loved the spirituals and so it is a blessing from God that you are here. Fifty-seven years of song and celebration is incredible. It is just extraordinary.”
“When we think of Dr. King we remember the dream, the voice, the vision and the moment at the Lincoln Memorial but Dr. King was more than just one speech. He was not just a dreamer but a disciplined organizer and not just a preacher but a moral strategist. He was not just a symbol he was a symbol who gave everything for the struggle for justice,” Caldwell said.
The three-hour event held at Manchester Township High School was a unique blend of spirituality, hope, and history. It is the state’s oldest observance of Dr. King’s legacy. The tribute was created in the aftermath of Dr. King’s assassination in 1968 and coordinated by the Manchester Township Gospel Chorus which is the first school-based gospel chorus in New Jersey, as well as the longest-running.
Under the current direction of Taylor Bullock, the chorus draws audiences of hundreds of people annually with its powerful performances, fostering a sense of unity, love, and acceptance while honoring Dr. King’s enduring vision.
“Tonight, we gather here as a community united by purpose, reflection and hope living out our district motto, ‘excellence by example’ and embracing this year’s theme, shared impact, the mark we leave on one another and the ripples we create together,” Superintendent Diane Pedroza said in her welcome message.
“‘Change is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.’ These words by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. serve as a perfect threshold for us to cross tonight as we gather and celebrate,” she added recalling that this marked her 20th year attending the tribute as a member of the school district.
Pedroza noted, “this program has reminded me why education, community and service matters so profoundly. It has always been more than a program. It is an experience that will stay with you long after the last song.”
The tribute drew an exceptionally large crowd that included Mayor Joseph Hankins, Council members James Vaccaro, Michele Zolezi, Sandy Drake, Manchester Board of Education members Timothy Poss and Gloria Adkinson, former Superintendent David Trethaway and his wife Anne Marie (who is a Berkeley Township Board of Education member), former BOE member Fae Weinstein and retiring high school Principal Dennis Adams.
The program was originally established by Dr. Queen Cannon, a former Manchester educator who later served as a guidance counselor and interim principal.
Cannon spoke to the crowd via phone early in the evening. “The Gospel Choir is still enduring and persevering and we love you for that and I praise God that all the leaders who are there that are continuing to help to make this momentous occasion a great thing. It has been 57 years since we started this celebration. Continue to fight the good fight and to honor Dr. Martin Luther King. Let the dreams come alive in such a time as this.”
Queen’s nephew Eric Lawson once again served as the master of ceremonies and Adams provided the invocation.
The evening’s performances featured an abundance of praise music, which is performed in the Gospel tradition consistent with Dr. King’s faith and message of unity. Other performance groups included the We Are One Productions, the Middle School Chorus and Jersey Shore Worship. This marked the first time Manchester’s middle and high school choruses joined the Gospel Chorus in singing African American pieces from the Revolutionary and Civil War periods as a patriotic segment to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary.
English teacher Claire Rutz has long been associated with the event and she wore her mother’s red, white and blue scarf in honor of the nation’s milestone birthday year.
All proceeds from admission tickets and concession sales supported the Gospel Chorus.
