New Jersey Historical Commission - NJHC

06/17/2025

We are thrilled to share that on June 11, 2025 the NJHC unveiled the first New Jersey Black Heritage Trail historical marker! The marker recognizes the Franklin Street School and the determination of Cape May's Black community to provide equal educational opportunities for their children.

The festivities also recognized the nearby Macedonia Baptist Church/Harriet Tubman Museum of New Jersey as an accepted site on the Black Heritage Trail and featured reflections from former Franklin Street School students.

NJHC would like to thank the following for supporting this effort:
Governor Phil Murphy
Lt. Governor Tahesha Way
Assemblyman Antwan McClellan
Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumpter
New Jersey Department of Transportation
Macedonia Baptist Church
Harriet Tubman Museum of New Jersey
Center for Community Arts
City Manager Paul Dietrich and Mayor Zachary Mullock's office
Cape May County Commission
Cape May Branch Library
Derek Davis and the New Jersey Black Heritage Foundation
Black Heritage Trail Advisory Committee: Dr. Jesse Bayker, Dr. Kendra Boyd, and Dr. Hettie Williams

06/10/2025

*Reminder: DOIs for Cultural Trust's IFS History/Humanities Grants are due tomorrow*

Don't miss this great opportunity for financial and institutional support!

Learn more at https://nj.gov/state/culturaltrust/ct-grant-opportunities.shtml

DOIs due TOMORROW! Submit your Declaration of Intent to Apply for the Cultural Trust's FY26 IFS History/Humanities grant program. For technical assistance, please contact Cultural Trust staff or visit the Cultural Trust's website: https://bit.ly/41wEwzB

06/06/2025

You are invited to The New Jersey Historical Commission’s Juneteenth 2025 program! This evening of exploration illuminates the various outdoor Black history tours in New Jersey. This webinar is great for those who want to learn more about Black history in New Jersey, looking to make plans to attend one or even develop their own.

Registration required: www.bit.ly/bhtnewjersey

Where: ZOOM
When: June 10, 2025 at 6:30PM
Free

Panelists include: Dolly Marshall, Historical Preservation Activist and
Mount Peace Cemetery Association Trustee, Betty Holloway, Chair, Committee on History and Records, St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Montclair, NJ, Mike Snyder, Rocks in the Garden: A Public History of Slavery in Morristown, Ms. C. Adrienne Rhodes and Craig Hutchings for The Preserving Black Haddonfield History Project Walking Tour.

Part of the New Jersey Historical Commission, the African American History Program champions and partners with universities, historical societies, schools, and other institutions, groups, and individuals in a collaborative statewide effort to develop African American history in New Jersey. The program also stewards the New Jersey Black Heritage Trail.

06/04/2025

One week left to submit your DOI for the Cultural Trust FY26 IFS grants!

For more information visit: https://bit.ly/41wEwzB

DOIs due in ONE WEEK! Submit your Declaration of Intent to Apply for the Cultural Trust's FY26 IFS History/Humanities grant program today. For technical assistance, please contact Cultural Trust staff or visit the Cultural Trust's website: https://bit.ly/41wEwzB

06/03/2025

The New Jersey Black Heritage Trail invites you to its first historical marker unveiling ceremony!

The Franklin Street School marker recognizes the determination of Cape May’s Black community to provide equal educational opportunities to their children. The festivities will also recognize the nearby Macedonia Baptist Church/Harriet Tubman Museum of New Jersey as an accepted site on the New Jersey Black Heritage Trail and feature reflections from former Franklin Street School students.

The program will begin at 1pm on June 11, 2025 at the Cape May Library. The event is free to attend, but registration is requested.

Learn more and register at bit.ly/franklinstreetschoolunveiling

05/30/2025

Looking forward to presenting at the upcoming New Jersey History and Historic Preservation Conference! Join us for a session on how to promote the public value of your history organization.

Learn more and register at Purchase your ticket today at: https://www.njpreservationconference.org/registration/

One week left to register for the 2025 New Jersey History and Historic Preservation Conference! Don't miss out! Join us on June 4th & 5th throughout Burlington County, New Jersey for tours, educational sessions, workshops and more!

Conference Highlights include:
June 4th at the Historic Burlington County Prison Museum and the Burlington County Lyceum of History and Natural Sciences
-Conference Welcoming Event featuring Amy BruniAmy Bruni, a renowned paranormal investigator, author, podcaster, entrepreneur, and television personality
-Tour of the Quaker Meeting Houses, and a guided tour across Burlington County featuring over 300 years of history

June 5th at Rowan College at Burlington County
-Keynote Speaker, Elizabeth Waytkus, the Executive Director of DOCOMOMO USDOCOMOMO US
-Your choice of educational sessions, including workshops and lightning sessions
-Poster session highlighting project-based work in historic preservation, history, archaeology, architecture, and more.
-Marketplace sponsor and vendor exhibits

Purchase your ticket today at: https://www.njpreservationconference.org/registration/

05/29/2025

Today's the day to get your questions answered about the NJ Cultural Trust's Institutional and Financial Stabilization Grants! Participation is free, but registration is required: https://bit.ly/4325fEO

Projects covered by the grant include:
• Establishing or growing a working capital fund/cash reserve
• Debt/deficit reduction
• Strategic planning/assessment
• Technology upgrade
• Capital equipment purchase
• Staff/board development
• New staff position

Do you have questions about the Cultural Trust's FY26 IFS History/Humanities grant program? Join us today for a Zoom office hours session with Cultural Trust staff! Participation is free, but registration is required: https://bit.ly/4325fEO

05/28/2025

Do you have questions about the Cultural Trust's FY26 IFS History/Humanities grant program? Join them on May 29 for a Zoom office hours session with Cultural Trust staff! Participation is free, but registration is required: https://bit.ly/4iSOvFT

Do you have questions about the Cultural Trust's FY26 IFS History/Humanities grant program? Join us on May 29 for a Zoom office hours session with Cultural Trust staff! Participation is free, but registration is required: https://bit.ly/4iSOvFT

05/23/2025

Looking for Black history events in your area?

Check out our Black History Events in New Jersey list! It features events from New Jersey Black Heritage Trail sites, New Jersey Historical Commission's grant program and statewide.

Visit it here! www.linktr.ee/blackhistorynj

You can also subscribe directly to the Linktree for reminders.

05/22/2025

Grant workshop today at 1pm!

Learn about eligibility and potential projects, hear from past grantees, and ask questions. Participation is free, but registration is required: https://bit.ly/3EMI4Xb

Projects covered by the grant include:

• Establishing or growing a working capital fund/cash reserve
• Debt/deficit reduction
• Strategic planning/assessment
• Technology upgrade
• Capital equipment purchase
• Staff/board development
• New staff position

Join us today for a grant workshop about the Cultural Trust's FY26 IFS History/Humanities program! Learn about eligibility and potential projects, hear from past grantees, and ask questions. Participation is free, but registration is required: https://bit.ly/3EMI4Xb

05/20/2025

You are invited to our Juneteenth 2025 program! This evening of exploration illuminates the various outdoor Black history tours in New Jersey. This webinar is great for those who want to learn more about Black history in New Jersey, looking to make plans to attend one or even develop their own.

Part of the New Jersey Historical Commission, the African American History Program champions and partners with universities, historical societies, schools, and other institutions, groups, and individuals in a collaborative statewide effort to develop African American history in New Jersey. The program also stewards the New Jersey Black Heritage Trail.

Registration required: www.bit.ly/bhtnewjersey

Where: ZOOM
When: June 10, 2025 at 6:30PM
Free

05/18/2025

May 18, 2025, is now "Six Triple Eight Day in New Jersey" signed into law this month by Governor Phil Murphy.

May 18th is the birthday of 6888 soldier Marion VanOrkey, an Allentown, NJ native who was a member of the Battalion and whose story prompted The Allentown Village Initiative (TAVI) to seek passage of a bill designating every May 18th as “Six Triple Eight Day.

In June 2025, the New Jersey Historical Commission's African American History Program is launching a series of essays called "Freedom Seeker" exploring the centuries-long Black Liberation Heritage of New Jersey for the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The first essay will explore the lives of the New Jersey Black women in the 6888.

The 6888th Central Postal Battalion of the Women’s Army Corps during World War II. The women received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2022 for clearing a backlog of over 17 million pieces of mail to and from 7 million U.S. servicemen fighting in the European Theater of World War II in just three months during 1945.