New Jersey Historical Commission Announces its 2022 Annual Conference: Freedom Seeker, Colonizer, and Enslaved: Immigration and Migration in New Jersey.

The one-day, virtual event will explore the history, cultural heritage, and contemporary issues facing immigrant communities through the lens of New Jersey studies.

The New Jersey Historical Commission is pleased to announce that registration is open for its 2022 annual conference, Freedom Seeker, Colonizer, and Enslaved: Immigration and Migration in New Jersey, on Friday, November 4th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The virtual, one-day conference will examine more than 300 years of migration and immigration in New Jersey and feature a keynote from Dr. Mae M. Ngai, Lung Family Professor of Asian American Studies and Professor of History, and Co-Director of the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race at Columbia University. 

In addition, a lunchtime workshop with representatives from the Immigrant History Initiative, Make Us Visible New Jersey, and the South Asian American Digital Archive will focus on teaching Asian American history in K-12 classrooms, while informative panel sessions will present new research on topics such as cultural movements, labor history, politics, historic preservation, and more.

The full agenda for the conference, along with registration information, can be found at: www.njhistoryconference.org. 

The registration fee is $20 and includes early access to recordings. Students will receive complimentary admission to the virtual program.

“The annual New Jersey History Conference not only brings together scholars and students who care about public history, but also community leaders who lead and champion our historical sites for the benefit of the public,” noted Secretary of State Tahesha Way. “It represents the latest in New Jersey’s ongoing efforts to highlight the rich cultural stories and diversity that define our vibrant communities.”

The 2022 annual conference comes during an eventful year that witnessed legislation enacted that established the state’s Black Heritage Trail and made New Jersey the second state to make Asian American Studies a standard part of its K-12 curriculum.

“We are proud to be at the forefront of efforts to celebrate New Jersey’s diversity through engaging public programs such as the annual history conference and an array of new and existing grant initiatives,” said Sara Cureton, executive director of the New Jersey Historical Commission. “The past year alone has seen the creation of Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) and Inclusive History Grant programs, in addition to the ongoing work with our partners at RevolutionNJ in preparation for the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in 2026.”

For more information on the Historical Commission’s mission, public programs, grant programs, and more, please visit its homepage: History.NJ.gov.

[REGISTER HERE]

About the New Jersey Historical Commission

The New Jersey Historical Commission (NJHC) is a state agency dedicated to the advancement of public knowledge and the preservation of New Jersey history. Established by law in 1967, its work is founded on the fundamental belief that an understanding of our shared heritage is essential to sustaining a cohesive and robust democracy.

Conference Schedule:

Welcome

9:00-9:30

_________

Keynote

9:30-10:30 Dr. Mae Ngai

Dr. Mae Ngai, Lung Family Professor of Asian American Studies and Professor of History, and Co-Director of the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race. She is a U.S. legal and political historian interested in the histories of immigration, citizenship, nationalism, and the Chinese diaspora.

She is the author of the award-winning Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America (2004); The Lucky Ones: One Family and the Extraordinary Invention of Chinese America (2010); and The Chinese Question: The Gold Rushes and Global Politics (2021).

__________

Morning Panel Session I

10:45-12:00 Freedom Seekers: African American Migration Narratives

10:45-12:00 Painful Archives: Amplifying the Voices of the Marginalized

___________

Lunch Panel Session

12:15-1:45 Teaching Asian American History: Resources and Approaches

___________

Afternoon Panel Sessions I

2:00-3:15 Immigrants, Labor and Justice: 300 Years of Struggle in NJ

2:00-3:15 Marking the Land: 18th and 19th Century Strategies for Creating Community

____________

Afternoon Panel Sessions II

3:30-5:00 American Belonging: Military Service and Cultural Assimilation

3:30-5:00 A Nation without Borders: Immigrant ties to the Homeland

______________

Closing

5:00-5:30