Nancy Forsberg – Special Collections & The Gallery

Object of the Week: Image of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

REMEMBERING DR. MARTIN LUTHER JR.

January 18, 2021 marks the annual observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day in honor of the Civil Rights leader’s life and legacy. This day is one of service, not rest, encouraging all Americans to consider Dr. King’s work and honor his memory by volunteering in their communities. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a federally recognized holiday in 1983 when President Ronald Reagan signed a bill into law, though the first official federal observance did not occur until 1986.[1]

Image of MLK day article by Lenora Cerrato — Nancy Forsberg Collection, MSS 22, Folder 718 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 1968 Courtesy of Archives and Special Collections

In 1964, Dr. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. When notified of his selection, he announced that he would turn over the prize money of $54,123 to the furtherance of the Civil Rights Movement.[2] He was 35 years old at the time, and the youngest man to have received the award to that point. The prize was bestowed upon Dr. King in recognition of his nonviolent campaign against racial segregation. Since 1901 when the first Nobel Prizes were awarded, recipients have been required to present a public lecture.[3] You can hear Dr. King’s Nobel Lecture in Oslo, Norway on December 11, 1964 in the video below. Dr. Clayborne Carson, Director of The King Institute at Stanford University, believes this lecture, which “lays out his goals for the remainder of his life” is one of his most important speeches. In this speech, King addresses the problems of racial injustice, poverty and war as global evils and not a uniquely American problem.[4]

The Statement of the Clergy of Union (NJ) on the formation of the MLK Commission was issued just a little over a week after his death, demonstrating their devastation and the importance they placed on Dr. King and his work.

Upon Dr. King’s assassination on April 4, 1968, the Clergy Association of Union (New Jersey) composed a statement which was read at a memorial service for Dr. King. The typed statement, as well as a printed copy from a local newspaper, was preserved by Rev. Nancy Forsberg of the First Congregational Church, where she served as pastor from 1967 until her death in 2000.[5] Like Dr. King, Reverend Nancy – as she was affectionately known by parishioners – was dedicated to interfaith and interracial understanding. She formed an interfaith Bus Ministry which took participants on inspirational day, weekend, and overseas trips in the furtherance of peace and understanding between people of various faiths and backgrounds. The Nancy Forsberg Papers, preserved at The

Newspaper clipping on 3 x 5 card from the Nancy Forsberg Collection — Nancy Forsberg Collection, MSS 22, Folder 718 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 1968 Courtesy of Archives and Special Collections

Department of Archives and Special Collections at Seton Hall University, contains numerous clippings, correspondence and ephemera she collected, including a file dedicated to the subject of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., revealing the importance of his work in parallel to her own efforts. Though Rev. Forsberg’s papers date to the late 1960s, they still resonate today and ask us to reconsider her and Dr. King’s efforts for Civil Rights and social justice with a renewed sense of urgency. These materials are available to students, faculty and researchers. For access, set up a research appointment online or contact us at 973-761-9476.

Marvin Rich Statement on death of Martin Luther King Jr. — Nancy Forsberg Collection, MSS 22, Folder 718 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 1968 Courtesy of Archives and Special Collections

[1] https://www.al.com/news/2018/01/alabama_mississippi_only_2_sta.html, accessed 1/8/2021.

[2] https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1964/king/biographical/, accessed 1/8/2021.

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u71K76y7jf8, accessed 1/8/2021.

[4]https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/clayborne-carson, accessed 1/8/2021.

[5] http://www.tributes.com/obituary/show/Nancy-E.-Forsberg-83332540, accessed 1/8/2021.

New Judaeo-Christian Studies Digital Collection

Msgr. Oesterreicher, Rabbi Finkel, and Fr. Frizzell of the Institute for Judaeo-Christian Studies, from the John M. Oesterreicher papers, Mss 0053 (mss0053_s43_04)

The Archives and Special Collections Center has a strong relationship with the Institute for Judaeo-Christian Studies here at Seton Hall University. Five manuscript collections here at the A&SCC came to us through the Institute, and are rich resources for the study of Judaeo-Christian relations. The Edward H. Flannery papers, 1965-1996, Mss 0012, the Nancy Forsberg papers, 1913-2011, Mss 0022, the John M. Oesterreicher papers, 1920-2000, Mss 0053, the Rose Thering papers, 1944-2005, Mss 0016, and the Michael Wyschogrod papers, 1941-2002, Mss 0013 are important collections documenting the efforts of individuals striving to increase understanding among all people, especially Christians and Jews.

Now these five collections have a new digital resource, the Judaeo-Christian Studies Collections. Portions of each collection are being digitized and made available through this digital collection, and include manuscripts, photographs, pamphlets, correspondence, newsclippings, and other materials. We think this collection will prove to be an invaluable resources for scholars in Judaeo-Christian Studies or in any aspect of religious studies, and will continue to add to the collection. Bridgette, a graduate student in the Judaeo-Christian Studies department, has put a great deal of work into processing these collections, digitizing selected items, and making them available online. Thanks to Bridgette, and to Fr. Frizzell of the Institute for Judaeo-Christian Studies, these materials are now widely available to interested researchers. Check out the collection, and subscribe to the updates to see newly digitized items as they are uploaded!

The Institute of Judaeo-Christian Studies has a new website

Institute of Judaeo-Christian Studies homepage

The Institute of Judaeo-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University has a new website featuring the scholarly and community activities of the Institute. The IJCS has a long-standing partnership with the Archives and Special Collections Center, and that relationship is highlighted on the Research and Publications page on the new website, which describes the four large archival collections that have been gifted via the Institute: the John M. Oesterreicher papers, 1920-2000, Mss 0053; the Michael Wyschogrod papers, 1941-2002, Mss 0013; the Edward H. Flannery papers, 1965-1996, Mss 0012; and the Nancy Forsberg papers, 1913-2011, Mss 0022.

The new home page for the Institute describes the wide variety of work conducted at Seton Hall dedicated to Catholic-Jewish relations. The site, like the Institute, is an excellent resource for all those interested in Jewish-Christian scholarship, understanding, and peace-building efforts. In addition to the archival collections housed at the Archives and Special Collections Center, the site provides information about and links to scholarship and writings from the current Director of the Institute, Father Lawrence Frizzell, past and current publications, programs and lectures, the program of study in the Jewish-Christian Studies Graduate Program (the only graduate program of its kind in the United States), scholarship information, and the history of the Institute. The Institute also has a new Facebook page to keep in closer touch with students and scholars, and both sites provide links to the Institute’s regular radio program on WSOU, the Kinship of Catholics and Jews, which is also available for download via iTunes.

The Institute of Judaeo-Christian Studies Facebook page

For any scholar interested in Christianity and Judaism, the Institute of Judaeo-Christian Studies is a unique and invaluable source of knowledge and exploration. Visit the site to find out more!