On Thursday, April 18, 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 aims to highlight how public historians bring to light 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 feature 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 panelists will discuss their research methods and their use of art, monuments, and museum collections to help audiences explore the experiences of their ancestors. They will showcase how communities honor and bring justice to 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 program is part of the African American History Program at the New Jersey Historical Commission (NJHC). For more information about this program and the Black Heritage Trail, visit history.nj.gov
###
