I am honored to serve as Chair of the Amistad Commission, a distinguish, diverse group of gubernatorial and legislative appointees who are committed to advancing the mission of the Amistad Commission. Representing and serving the citizens of New Jersey, the Amistad Commission establishes Commission policies and supports the efforts of the Executive Director and the Amistad Office staff to assure that our K–12 public schools—educators and administrators—have the resources and tools to infuse the contributions of people of African descent into the curriculum for social studies and other disciplines.

Our collective charge is to

1. 1. 1. change the landscape for the study of United States and world history by placing Africans and African Americans at the center of the narrative as change agents rather than as bystanders or victims who live on the margins; and
      2. ensure that instruction "infuses into all courses on the United States, the centuries of accomplishments by African Americans in the building and development of America" (P.L.2020, c. 153).

Our responsibility to New Jersey's children and teens is to raise knowledge and understanding of national diversity and the distinctive contributions Americans of African descent have made to all aspects of national life.  Our job is to provide the resources and support that empowers New Jersey classroom teachers to provide our children with exemplary educational experiences that not only impart knowledge, but also teaches them to think critically and never to stop asking, “Why?” This teaches them to be good citizens who care for family, community, nation, and their connections to all humanity of whatever gender, race, nationality, religion, sexuality, or ethnicity. This teaches all children of New Jersey to be unafraid to search for their own truths and to be proud of their nation, community, family, and personal identities.

We are proud to partner and collaborate with all the educational organizations and other Commissions in New Jersey to support excellence in teaching and learning, and to advance the mission of the Amistad Commission.

• Lillie Johnson Edwards, PhD, Chair
• Joyce Ship Freeman, Vice-Chair

• Acting Commissioner of Education Angelica Allen-McMillan
• Patricia Ann Atkins, Esq.
• The Honorable Lavonne Bebler Johnson
• Andrea Roseborough Eberhard
• Rosie Andrea Grant
• The Reverend Derrick L. Green
• Fatima Heyward
• Anthony J. Iacono, Ed. D.
• Danielle M. Jones
• Khyati Y. Joshi, PhD
• Assemblyman Antwan L. McClellan (R-1)
• William D. Payne
• Thomas Puryear
• Jason J. Redd, J.D., M.C.R.P., B.S.
• Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D-15)
• Senator Troy Singleton (D-7)
• Kenyatta K. Stewart
• Senator Samuel D. Thompson (R-12)
• Nyeema C. Watson, PhD