MLK Day observed Saturday at I.H.S

By Chris Sykes, Staff Writer
On Saturday, the Irvington Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Committee held its 27th annual Legacy of a Dream commemorative tribute to the life and work of the iconic civil rights leader and human rights champion.
The Jan. 14 event once again took place in the Irvington High School auditorium. The guest speaker was Pastor Jerry Smith of Christian Pentecostal Church and this year the 2012 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award was presented to Commander William Moore, of VFW Post 1941 by at large Municipal Council members Lebby Jones and D. Bilal Beasley.
Jones and Beasley also happen to be the founding members of the Irvington Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Committee. They said that 27 years is a long time, but holding the annual event is a labor of love and respect for the life and legacy of Dr. King that they are glad to do.
As usual, the Legacy of a Dream event was not only held in the high school’s auditorium but in conjunction with the Irvington Public Schools district, too. Accordingly, Superintendent of Schools Ethel Hasty was on hand with Beasley, Jones, At Large Councilwoman Andrea McElroy, and Michelle Brooks-Bey, the director of curriculum and instruction in the schools, to witness the outstanding performances by the high school’s Multipot Dancers under the direction of Mozell Anderson; the Grove Street Elementary School Chorus, under Donna Brenner; the Chancellor Avenue Elementary School Chorus, under Yolanda Grice; the Union Avenue Middle School Music Magnet Chorus, under Bruce Mauro; and the Irvington High School Chorus, under Samaad Robinson.
Hasty, McElroy, Beasley and
See SPEAKER, Page 2