Human Relations Commission

Human Resources Commission The Morris County Human Relations Commission promotes celebrating diversity, communication, and appreciation for the many ethnic and cultural influences on our communities. A great many cultures are represented in Morris County and our communities and citizens benefit from the variety of people, customs, and traditions. Welcoming and understanding the diversity makes us a stronger county.

Some of the programs and projects in which the Human Relations Committee has participated include:

  • Charter member of the New Jersey Coalition against Human Trafficking, and partnering for the Stand against Human Trafficking on the Morristown Green.
  • Supporting the “What Prejudice Means to Me” contest sponsored by the National Council of Jewish Women – West Morris Section
  • Creating a diversity category at the MorristownGreen.com film festival and awarding a prize to the top film in that category
  • Supporting immigrant students at the County College of Morris for in county residency tuition.
  • Preparing a response protocol for crisis management for communities when a cultural issue arises, in order to assist with communication and resolution

Latest News

Solidarity with the Asian-American Community

The Human Relations Commission of Morris County stands in solidarity with the Asian-American community against acts of hate, demonization, intimidation and other expressions of vile racism that have become widespread in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

Any expression of prejudice, discrimination, stereotyping, diminution and exclusion causes real harm to people and to our society as a whole. The Asian community in the United States has suffered systemic racism, stereotyping and marginalization for far too long.

We must maintain zero tolerance to hate in any form.

Acts and expressions of hatred and bigotry against any person or group on the basis of their identity is an atrocity and cannot be tolerated. Attacks against members of the Asian-American community must be utterly condemned and their perpetrators swiftly brought to justice. We call upon our entire community to combat hate through education, reinforcement of the core values of the American democracy and proactive concrete steps such as anti-bigotry programs in schools, community forums and houses of worship.

It is not enough to condemn acts of violence and bigotry. We must take concrete action to foster a just society that values, celebrates and welcomes each individual and group.

Morris County Human Relation Commission's Celebration of Black History Month

View the Morris County Human Relation Commission's Celebration of Black History Month with Dr. Forrest Pritchett:

Statement on Cherry Hill School District requiring an African American history course in high school

2/26/21:

It's great that the school district is offering a meaningful Black history course. This course is mandatory for Freshman students and specifically designed to connect Black people in history and black people today, as history should be taught. 

As meaningful as this course is, it should not replace the history of Black people's treatment and contribution throughout the world and USA and must be taught from K-12. As a commission, we must institutionalize our work so that after planting the seed, progress continues. Reaching out and acknowledging schools following the Amistad Act would be one way to do that.

Original article: Cherry Hill school district becomes first in N.J. to require an African American history course in high school.

The change was prompted by a group of students who pushed officials to provide a more comprehensive curriculum.