New Jersey Department of Education

Dr. Patrick J. Lamy
Dr. Patrick J. Lamy
Executive Director

We are thrilled and wholeheartedly committed to providing a comprehensive range of services and resources to New Jersey's esteemed schoolteachers, administrators, and students. Our primary objective is to equip them with the necessary tools to effectively convey impactful educational awareness about critical topics such as the African slave trade, the history of slavery in America, and the extraordinary contributions of Africans that have profoundly enriched the tapestry of American society. Through this dedicated effort, we aim to foster a more profound understanding and appreciation of these crucial aspects of history and their enduring significance.

This project is undeniably vital and holds great significance. Our aim is to contribute to the creation of an informed, inclusive, and accurate curriculum that ensures students grasp the Black American story as an integral part of the broader American narrative.

To achieve our objective, the strength of the Commission lies in its ability to foster robust collaborations with a diverse spectrum of educational agencies and organizations. All these stakeholders are committed to advancing the core objective of the Amistad Legislation. This involves developing a curriculum that not only encompasses history and social studies but also seamlessly integrates the profound narrative of African Americans' transformative role in shaping and nurturing the United States across all curricular domains.

To accomplish this goal, the  Commission’s strength lay in fostering robust collaborations with a diverse array of educational agencies and organizations, all dedicated to advancing the fundamental goal of the Amistad Legislation. This requires creating curriculum that not only encompasses history and social studies but also integrates the profound narrative of African Americans' pivotal role in shaping the United States across all curricular areas.

Our key to successful implementation lies in our harmonious collaboration with our educational partners across K-12 institutions and our collaboration with our esteemed colleges, universities, and community organizations. By forging these partnerships, we have the potential to impact every school district across New Jersey and reach all the 1.4 million students within them.

One of our end goals is to create a pioneering model that firmly embeds diversity, equity, and inclusion as fundamental tenets in the teaching of social studies, world history, and other subject areas within our public school system that  further intensifies New Jersey’s education as a beacon of excellence on the national stage.

While we acknowledge that our journey is substantial, we are fortified by the presence of some of the finest educators in the nation teaching our students in New Jersey. With their expertise and dedication, we are poised to achieve our mission with utmost significance.

2024 Amistad Commission Summer Curriculum Institute for Teachers

We are happy to invite all New Jersey teachers to the 2024 Summer Institute. The institute will be held in-person and virtually at the College of New Jersey from July 29-August 1. Please confirm your registration as early as possible. Residential spaces for those who plan to reside on the College of New Jersey campus during the institute are very limited. Please complete the Registration by April 30, 2024.

Notice: Due to the outstanding registration numbers for the Amistad Commission 2024 Summer Institute, only virtual attendance option is available at this time. We will notify all virtual participants of any in-person availability by July 1st.

 

Commission Meetings

2023

2022

Executive Committee Meetings

Executive Director and executive committee only.

  • February 24, 2023 (1pm-3pm)
  • May 19, 2023 (1pm-3pm)
  • August 18, 2023 (1pm-3pm)
  • November 17, 2023 (1pm-3pm)
 

The Amistad Commissions Awards the Governor Exemplary Award

On July 20, 2023, the Amistad Commission issued the first Exemplary Award to two NJ teachers. We extend a special congratulations to the West Orange and Belleville School Districts.

Congratulations to:

Miriam Kargbo-Jackson
Kindergarten Teacher
Redwood Elementary School, West Orange NJ

Emily Pascali
10th, 11th, 12th Grade Teacher
Belleville High School, Belleville  NJ 

  • Board of Commissioners Retreat 2023
  • African Heritage Month
  • Women’s History Month
  • Scholarship Programs
  • National History Day
  • Summer Institute – Save the Date
  • In-Service Trainings for NJ Teachers
  • Patrick J. Lamy, Executive Director
  • Iman AQuddus, Education Program Development Specialist 3 Coordinator for Projects, Research and Policy Analysis
  • Trevor K. Melton, Education Program Development 2 Specialist and Special Programs Liaison
  • Ms. Glender Terrell, Administrative Assistant

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