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. Founded by the late Giles Wright in 1983, it was recommenced at the Commission in 2021.
The African American History Program’s work includes a speaker and panel series to preserve, educate, and engage the public about New Jersey history and historical sites (many sessions are made available on the Commission’s website). It also stewards the Black Heritage Trail; directs administration of the Mildred Barry Garvin Prize; consults on Historical Commission and other Department of State initiatives and collaborations, including RevolutionNJ, as well as public partnerships such as the Annual Marion Thompson Wright Lecture (MTW) series at Rutgers University – Newark.
The New Jersey Historical Commission recognizes the contributions of the inaugural African American History Program director Giles R. Wright, New Jersey historian Robert Craig and the Sankofa Collaborative on their work around Black history in New Jersey.
This site is under development and there is much more to come. It is our goal to make it a helpful and enriching space for learning more about African American history in New Jersey. Please join our mailing list, in addition to following our social media channels for updates on the African American History Program and all of the Commission’s work.
We hope that you will join us on this incredibly important mission.
Noelle Lorraine Williams
Director, African American History Program and the Black Heritage Trail
Black Heritage Trail email: NJBlackHeritageTrail@treas.nj.gov
Join our mailing list: https://bit.ly/NJHCMailingList
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewJerseyHistoricalCommission
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newjerseyhistory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OfficialNJHC
African American History Program
The New Jersey African American History Program hosts virtual, in-person panels, events and workshops. Please visit the New Jersey Historical Commissions YouTube page for more information.
Website: https://bit.ly/NJHCYouTube
Black History Events in New Jersey: https://linktr.ee/blackhistorynj
Selected Essays, Publications and Books from the African American History Program (1989-Present)
Black History Tours in New Jersey (2025)
Bibliographic Resources Relating to Experiences of People of African Descent, Native Americans, and Women in Revolutionary Era New Jersey (2024)
https://bit.ly/bibrev
Juneteenth: New Jersey, The Last Northern State to End Slavery (2021)
https://nj.gov/state/historical/his-2021-juneteenth.shtml
New Jersey's Underground Railroad Heritage : "Steal Away, Steal Away--" : A Guide to the Underground Railroad in New Jersey (2002)
https://dspace.njstatelib.org//handle/10929/24563
Afro-Americans in New Jersey: A Short History (1989)
https://dspace.njstatelib.org/xmlui/handle/10929/18620
Selected Essays, Publications and Books from Joint Sponsored Events and Activities with the African American History Program (1989-Present)
Black Heritage Trail
The New Jersey Black Heritage Trail was proposed by State Assemblyman Antwan McClellan with bipartisan support and signed into law by Governor Murphy on September 7, 2022. The legislation calls for the New Jersey Historical Commission to establish a Black Heritage Trail “to promote awareness and appreciation of Black history, heritage, and culture” that will “highlight Black heritage sites through historical markers and a trail-like path that connects the stories of Black life and resiliency.”
Under this program, the Historical Commission will work in cooperation with other state agencies, such the Historic Preservation Office, the Division of Travel and Tourism, as well as local governments, owners or operators of Black heritage sites, and others to identify a series of sites. The bill also names the New Jersey Black Cultural and Heritage Initiative Foundation as a principal collaborator, due to its mission that includes broadening, deepening and diversifying statewide participation in and appreciation for Black arts, history and culture.
The New Jersey Historical Commission recognizes the contributions of the inaugural African American History Program director Giles R. Wright, New Jersey historian Robert Craig and the Sankofa Collaborative on their work around Black history in New Jersey.
New Jersey Black Heritage Trail Page
New Jersey Black Heritage Trail Legislation
New Jersey Black Heritage Trail Installed Historic Markers List
To date there have been 77 approved New Jersey Black Heritage Trail nominations. The following have the signs (markers) installed at the site. To see a complete list click on this link.
1. Historically Black Franklin Street School, Unveiling Date: June 11, 2025
2. Negro League Baseball at Hinchliffe Stadium, Unveiling Date: August 1, 2025
3. First Black Voter After Adoption of 15th Amendment, Unveiling Date: September 13, 2025
4. Dr. James Still Office, Unveiling Date: September 29, 2025
5. Shady Rest Country Club: “A Place for US”, Unveiling Date: October 18, 2025
6. The Point: A Black Historic Neighborhood, Unveiling Date: October 19, 2025
7. Historic Timbuctoo: A Free Black Community, Unveiling Date: November 6, 2025
8. Honoring the Enslaved at William Trent House, Unveiling Date: December 3, 2025
9. The Montclair YWCA for Black Women and Girls, Unveiling Date: April 18, 2026
10. 1963 Cleveland Elementary School Sit-Ins, Unveiling Date: May 06, 2026
11. Black Revolutionary War Hero Caesar, Unveiling Date: May 14, 2026
12. Historically Black Mt. Zion AME Church, Unveiling Date: May 30, 2026
13. Playwright and Poet Ntozake Shange, Unveiling Date: June 11, 2026
14. Historic Macedonia Baptist Church of Cape May, Unveiling Date: June 18, 2026
15. Historically Black Borough of Lawnside, Unveiling Date: June 19, 2026
16. Historically Black "Chicken Bone Beach", Unveiling Date: June 25, 2026
RevolutionNJ (RevNJ)
RevNJ is a partnership between the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the New Jersey Department of State, and the nonprofit Crossroads of the American Revolution Association to plan the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in New Jersey.
The African American History Program is developing research and educational materials on African American and Indigenous ideologies around freedom, land ownership and citizenry during this period.
Website: https://www.revnj.org/about
Mildred Barry Garvin Prize
The Mildred Barry Garvin Prize is an award of $1,000 to a New Jersey teacher, guidance counselor, or school librarian for outstanding teaching of Black American history in kindergarten through high school or outstanding performance in a related activity such as developing curriculum materials.
Website: https://nj.gov/state/historical/his-awards.shtml
Marion Thompson Wright Lecture
The Annual Marion Thompson Wright Lecture (MTW) series was co-founded in 1981 by Dr. Price and the late Giles R. Wright, who served many years as the inaugural director of the Afro-American History Program at the New Jersey Historical Commission. Mounted in observance of Black History Month in New Jersey, the MTW Series is one of the nation’s most remarkable and longest-running scholarly conference series devoted to the historical literacy of a community.
On February 25, 2026, The New Jersey Historical Commission's African American History Program proudly celebrated the rich history and contributions of African Americans in New Jersey at the virtual event titled "Celebrating the Power of African Americans' History and Historic Sites."
The director of the African American History program and the New Jersey Black Heritage Trail Noelle Lorraine Williams discussed the 100th Anniversary of Black History Month commemorations and the 250th commemoration of the Declaration of Independence.
Following the signing of the historic bill for the creation of the Black Heritage Trail program in New Jersey by Governor Phil Murphy in September 2022, the New Jersey Historical Commission hosted three community input meetings to receive various perspectives and visions for the framework and implementation of the program.
The engaging program showcased the incredible stories of New Jersey's African American history along with some of the sites on the New Jersey Black Heritage Trail, highlighting significant sites and upcoming African American tours and events.
The program also shared important information about the 2026 Black Heritage Trail application process, encouraging everyone to get involved and help preserve this vital part of our cultural heritage. Thank you to all who participated and contributed to making this event a success let us continue to document, promote and learn from African American History in New Jersey. Join our mailing list to get updates on our grant opportunities and programs https://bit.ly/NJHCMailingList Click here to see a list of Black history events happening throughout the state: https://linktr.ee/blackhistorynj Check out our list of Black history tours in New Jersey https://nj.gov/state/historical/assets/pdf/african-american/2025-8-black-history-tours-new-jersey.pdf
Official Site of The State of New Jersey