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NJHC Webinar Shines Light on New Jersey’s Hidden Histories
Learn how public historians share under-told stories about African American and Latino communities.
On Thursday, April 18th starting at 6:30 pm the African American History Program at the New Jersey Historical Commission will host Justice for the Dead: Reconstructing the Hidden Histories. This virtual event will highlight how public historians uplift under-told stories from New Jersey’s African American and Latino communities.
“Without understanding the whole history of our state’s past, it’s impossible for New Jersey to move forward into a better future,” said Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way, who oversees the New Jersey Historical Commission in her capacity as Secretary of State. “I’m proud of my Historical Commission and our state’s history community for uplifting these stories and helping New Jerseyans learn about the past in productive and restorative ways.”
“Local organizations are doing incredible work reconstructing a more complete picture of New Jersey’s past,” said New Jersey Historical Commission’s executive director Sara Cureton. “We hope this webinar will inspire others to dig deeper into the histories of their own communities.”
The discussion will include presentations by Reverend Wanda Lundy of the 313+ Ancestors Speak Project in Elizabeth, New Jersey; Christopher Lopez, artist and curator of the exhibition The Fires: Hoboken 1978-1982; and Carol McCarty, MA, Collections Project Coordinator at the Rutgers Geology Museum.
“Stories of injustice are not often recorded in traditional historical sources such as archives, so it is vital for public historians and community workers to think creatively on how to recover and share these hidden histories,” said Noelle Lorraine Williams, director of the NJHC African American History Program.
The featured panelists will discuss their research methods and their use of art, monuments, and museum collections to help audiences explore the experiences of their ancestors. Particularly, they will showcase how communities honor and bring justice to the remains, sites, and histories that have been hidden in New Jersey's past.
To register for the Zoom link, visit https://bit.ly/jftd1.
This is a program of the African American History program at the New Jersey Historical Commission (NJHC). To learn more about the African American History program and the Black Heritage Trail, visit history.nj.gov
About the New Jersey Historical Commission
The New Jersey Historical Commission (NJHC) is a division of the Department of State dedicated to the advancement of public knowledge and 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.
