Martin Luther King's Memories: Jersey City

City of Jersey City
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Dr. Martin Luther King spoke at least twice in Jersey City. On September 21, 1965, he received an honorary Doctor of Law from St. Peter's College. Dr. King gave an address titled "The American Dream." The Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project at Stanford University does not have a copy of the text (or a recording) of the address.

On Wednesday, March 27, 1968, barely a week before his death, nearly 2,000 heard Martin Luther King at Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church. Dr. King encouraged support for his upcoming "Poor People's Campaign."

I know of one recording was made of Martin Luther King speaking in Jersey City. At a grammar school assembly many years ago, I heard an audio tape – brought in by a parent of one of the students – of Dr. King addressing a Jersey City audience. I'm not sure if this was the St. Peter's College event,the talk at A.M.E. church, or if it was of an appearance of Martin Luther King in Jersey City that is not currently documented.

If you have any clipping, programs, photographs, and – above all – recordings of Martin Luther King in Jersey City,e-mail info@cityofjerseycity.org Don't let History lose the details of Martin Luther King's visit to Jersey City!