Honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. At Manchester Gospel Chorus Tribute

MANCHESTER, NJ — The Manchester Township Gospel Chorus is ready to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at its 56th annual Gospel Chorus Tribute on Friday night.

The high school gospel chorus is the first school-based chorus in New Jersey and the longest-running. Formed in the aftermath of the assassination of the King, its goal today remains the same as its goal then: to spread King's messages of hope, love, community and peace.

The tribute event begins at 6:30 p.m. and is held in the auditorium at Manchester Township High School, 101 Hawks Way. Tickets are sold at the door.

King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, and in cities and towns across the country, communities came together for celebrations on his birthday that emphasized his messages as the fight for civil rights continued. The first celebrations were held in January 1969, and the Manchester Schools gospel chorus was among them.

The chorus was founded by Queen Cannon, an educator in the Manchester school district who was later a guidance counselor and even served as an interim principal. The chorus is comprised of middle school and high school students and draws students from all walks of life.

The audience, too, is a cross-section of the Manchester community — Black families, white families, parents, grandparents, children young and old, staff members and community leaders, drawn by King's message.

The chorus tribute draws in everyone who attends and aims to create a welcoming community that delivers King's message — is always one of love, acceptance, peace and hope.