The Annual King Holiday Commemorative Celebration is held on or about the third Sunday in January of each year in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. The Commemorative Celebration brings together a diverse group of people to celebrate Dr. King’s life’s work and legacy. It also allows New Jerseyans an opportunity to recommit themselves to fulfilling Dr. King’s dreams in the 21st century. The Commemorative Celebration continues to be the premier event in the State of New Jersey that honors Dr. King.

The V-Free Mini-Grant program was designed to help students develop projects and promote activities aimed at fostering positive environments in their schools and communities that are free of violence, vandalism and victimization. Any student or youth group, with the help of a teacher or advisor, can apply for a mini-grant. Funds range from $1,500 to $3,000.

In an effort to encourage youth to make daily positive choices, the King Commission hosts the regional Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Leadership Conference throughout the academic school year at various colleges across the state. This conference targets high school students’ grades 9-12 and is intended to motivate the youth to stay in school and make positive choices that will lead to a successful tomorrow. Students will take part in a variety of workshops such as planning for college, funding their college education, as well as, character and leadership development. The conference will be hosted in the North, Central and Southern New Jersey at various collegiate institutions.

Scholarships in the amount of $5,000 each are awarded annually to college students in New Jersey who have demonstrated an active interest and meaningful involvement in areas of human rights, social justice, labor, and world peace; and who intend to pursue academic and/or career paths that would enable them to further these causes as future leaders. Students must demonstrate knowledge of the legacy and life’s work of Dr. King and must me able to show how there academic pursuits reflect the ideals that he has come to symbolize.

2009 Scholarship Application

Established in the fall of 1999,this program provides an opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students specializing in labor, as well as social justice and economic policies, from colleges and universities in New Jersey, to learn about Dr. King’s principles and teachings though their work with the Commission. King interns are expected to work on research projects that are approved by their academic departments focus on Dr. King’s presence in New Jersey and promote his legacy and life’s work. King interns have gone on to advance Dr King’s teachings, as well as distinguish themselves in a variety of fields including private industry and municipal government.

Traveling Photo Exhibit –consists of framed black and white photographs that highlight the contributions of Dr. King and other prominent African Americans. These exhibits are available to schools and community groups through a loan agreement, which is free of charge. This exhibit is comprised of three series: The Hand in Hand for Justice, Black Women: Achievement Against the Odds and The Black History Series.

The Commission coordinates programming around “Behold”, the ten-foot, bonded-bronze sculpture. The State of New Jersey purchased this casting of “Behold” shortly before an outdoor, bronze casting was installed permanently on a site overlooking the tomb of Dr. King at the King National Historic Site in Atlanta, Georgia in 1990. In June of the same year, the Commission installed its casting of the “Behold” statue at Essex County College in Newark, where it was unveiled and has remained on public exhibition.