Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Set For Friday

The life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. will be celebrated during a Friday night event at . 

In addition to a performance from the combined Manchester Middle School and High School Gospel Chorus, students will present poetry and dance selections at the celebration. A guest speaker, Rev. Pamela L. Carey, founder of the non-denominational Sister's Fellowship Ministries, will deliver an address.

"It's fabulous because it's very eclectic," said Vice Principal Evelyn Swift. "It's a mixture of song, dance and poetry all related to tolerance, diversity and acceptance. There's just a completely positive message that it revolves around."

For the past 27 years, the high school has hosted the event, which began when Manchester became home to the first high school gospel chorus in New Jersey, founded by teacher Queen Cannon, Swift said.

"It started and evolved into not only having the kids sing, but also as a celebration for Dr. King which has been going on since," said Swift, who performed in the chorus as a student and once served as its advisor.

Speakers in past years include Ocean County Superior Court Judge Wendel Daniels, Bahiyyah Abdullah, senior director of membership for the Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore, and Eugenia Lawson, who has served on Georgian Court University Board of Trustees, among other positions. Last year, Gloria Dix-Adkinson, a retired Lakewood teacher of 33 years, .

"We've had all of these really great folks," Swift said.

Tickets for the 7 p.m. celebration, which will be held in the high school auditorium, are $5 for adults and $4 for students and seniors. Swift said that proceeds are used to help fund the chorus.

Swift said that she expects those in attendance will enjoy themselves and take something away from the event, which "creates a sense of hope."

"It's a wonderful evening of not just entertainment, but also inspiration," she said. "It's great for the young people of the community to come together in that way. We're really excited and proud."

Schools will be closed in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday on Jan. 16.