Art communities across New Jersey marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day by embodying Dr. King’s teachings into the arts.

The Newark Museum of Art offers free events for families as part of the celebration – including a lesson in African drum and dance.

“A big part of what we’re doing is focusing on acts of kindness. And so, what we’ve done is invited community partners to be able to contribute and give things back to the community that we served,” says Darryl Dwayne Walker, of The Newark Museum of Art.

This is the first time since 2020 that this annual event was held in person due to the pandemic.

The museum of not alone in observing the holiday and honoring King’s vision through the arts. In New Brunswick, windows of some businesses displayed artwork. It was part of the project “Windows of Understanding.”

“It’s a way of building community through artistic partnerships,” says the program’s co-founder Cassandra Oliveras-Moreno. “It’s a way of showing engagement and compassion.”

“Windows of Understanding” brings together artists who create original works around social issues or social services as a form of activism. The program is in its sixth year.