Monday, June 16, 2025
The Lakeview community is gearing up to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic visit to the community.
On May 12 of 1965, King led a march from Rockville Centre to what was then the Woodfield Road School, which is now the Lakeview Public Library, to support the desegregation of the Malverne school district. The Lakeview branch of the NAACP has organized a march on May 18 to honor the anniversary of this monumental event.
“The 60th anniversary is significant as we continue to remember the legacy of Dr. King, but more importantly, now in this era, this moment as we’re dealing with the federal government wanting to dismantle the Department of Education and roll back other historic movements, now is the perfect time to commemorate and to remember from which we’ve come, so that we always know where we are going,” the Rev. Tristan Salley, chairman of the NAACP’s special committee, said. “It’s also a wonderful time to reflect our proud history because Malverne, which was once very racially segregated, has become a model school for diversity and inclusion.”
The commemoration will begin at 2 p.m., rain or shine, outside the library, where a brief ceremony will be held, including the laying of a memorial placard to commemorate the events of the march 60 years ago.
The Pride of Malverne Marching Band will then lead participants in a march across Pinebrook Avenue and down Ocean Avenue, before ending in the Malverne High School parking lot.
“I’ve asked the men if they wanted to join us in white shirts and dark or black pants, because that’s what Dr. King used to wear,” Doris Hicks-Newkirk, president of the NAACP’s Lakeview branch, said. “If you look at any of his pictures, he was always in a white shirt and black pants when he was out walking in parades.”
Hicks-Newkirk suggested that those attending the event dress in their Sunday best, but also to don clothing that they’re comfortable wearing to walk the mile distance between the library and the high school. On May 18, attendees will enjoy a day of singing and celebrating, and food will be available as well, event organizers said.
At the high school, another ceremony will take place, with official proclamations and speeches from local officials, religious leaders and other significant guests.
“Dr. King visited the Long Island community to support the desegregation of schools, making his rounds throughout the Long Island communities, speaking with local community leaders, religious leaders, and educators with respect to the desegregation process,” Salley explained. “Specifically, he came to Lakeview due to the divide that was happening between the Lakeview community and the Malverne community, when Malverne became one of the first schools on Long Island to desegregate.”
In 1963, New York State education commissioner James Allen ordered the desegregation of Malverne schools. He determined that the elementary schools should be organized by grade and not by where the child lived, which had resulted in segregation. Many white parents in the area fought this decision, even after the delayed integration of the schools in 1966.
Following desegregation, Malverne students continued to fight for increased representation, including the hiring of more Black teachers and additional course offerings on Black history.
“Although we’ve come very far, there are a lot of things that were asked for 60 years ago and are just now coming to fruition,” Jason Mach, the Malverne school district supervisor of humanities, said. “We have made progress, but there’s still much more left to do in the community.”
In addition, the Malverne School District will host two events to honor the anniversary of King’s visit. The first is the MLK day of service and remembrance, which was originally planned for Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January but has been rescheduled for the morning of May 18 due to weather. Overseen by the Service Learning Club, the day of service will provide students of all ages with opportunities to participate in student-run service learning workshops. Students will make care packages, fill out cards for first responders, and more.
The following evening, on May 19, the district will host “MLK: A Legacy of Hope — A 60-year journey for the Malverne community,” at 6 p.m. in the Malverne Performing Arts Center. Alumni and community members who were present for King’s visit 60 years ago have been invited to join a student-led panel to discuss the events that took place and reflect on the journey Malverne has taken as a district in the time since then. All are welcomed to attend each of these MLK anniversary celebrations.
