These Museums and Historic Sites Are Dedicated to Preserving Black History in New Jersey

The sites are especially poignant during Black History Month

COURTESY HARRIET TUBMAN MUSEUM FACEBOOK PAGE

February is Black History Month and there are many museums, historical sites and cemeteries throughout New Jersey that celebrate and honor the legacies of influential African Americans. From stops along the Underground Railroad to a mansion in Newark, these museums and sites offer a lesson on how African Americans in New Jersey contributed to the development of our nation.

Harriet Tubman Museum of New Jersey
632 Lafayette St., Cape May
Did you know Harriet Tubman lived in Cape May in the early 1850s? This pioneer of the Underground Railroad helped get freedom seekers from Maryland up to Canada. To fund the missions, she earned money by working in hotels and families as a cook. The museum is closed in January, and reservations are highly recommended for when it opens.

African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey
The Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University, 2200 Fairmount Ave., Atlantic City
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center, 661 Jackson Rd., Newtonville
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 1000 Boardwalk, Atlantic City
Founder Ralph E. Hunter Sr. collected cultural treasures he stumbled on while traveling or walking through the area. His friends joked that his house had become a museum, so he moved his historical belongings to a more public space in Buena Vista Twp. Now there are two locations, which you can visit for free, that feature artwork and exhibits in a hands-on gallery. You can also request a visit from the traveling museum, which will bring certain pieces of history to your school or organization. And Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City continues its partnership with AAHMSNJ to sponsor the Black History Month Educational Series, which brings an interactive experience to schools in the community; as well as Memorabilia Tours at the resort of legendary African American musical artists: Prince, Whitney Houston, Clarence Clemons, Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Nicki Minaj, Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown and more.

Afro-American Historical Society Museum
1841 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City
(Second floor of the Greenville Public Library)
The museum was organized by a committee led by Captain Thomas Taylor, president of the Jersey City branch of the NAACP, to develop an appreciation for the historic and cultural heritage of African Americans through exhibits and programs. Admission is free.

Butler Cemetery
Ferry Avenue and Charles Street, Camden
Established in the 1800s by Dempsey Daniel Butler, this cemetery is the resting place of local U.S. Colored Troop veterans of the Civil War as well as other African Americans. Butler was an abolitionist and huge supporter of the Underground Railroad and you can learn more about him here.

Charles J. Muth Museum at Hinchliffe Stadium
186 Maple St., Paterson
The current home of the New Jersey Jackals Minor League baseball team, this cultural center focuses on the history of one of the last remaining Negro League ballparks. There are interactive experiences, rare artifacts and memorabilia, and stories of baseball greats like Josh Gibson, Monte Irvin, Satchel Paige, “Cool Papa” Bell, and Paterson’s hometown hero Larry Doby (the first Black player in the American League).

Civil Rights Garden
Pacific Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Atlantic City
The public sculpture garden dedicated to the Civil Rights Movement has 11 granite columns, pathways, plants, flowers, Gingko trees and sculptures with inscriptions related to the history.

Ida’s Bookshop
734 Haddon Ave., Collingswood
A sister bookstore to Harriet’s Bookshop in Philadelphia (named for Harriet Tubman), Ida’s Bookshop memorializes Ida B. Wells, a journalist and activist who used her writings to call for civil justice.

James Howe House
369 Claremont Ave., Montclair
James Howe, a formerly enslaved man who was freed in 1817, lived in what has become one of the oldest standing buildings owned by an African American. The house represents the transition from slavery to freedom, the importance of homeownership by all, and the development of African American communities. In 2023 the Friends of the Howe House bought the house and will decide how it can best serve the community.

Krueger-Scott Mansion
Newark
Gottfried Krueger, a German immigrant and wealthy brewer, built the mansion as his home in 1889 and lived there until 1914. Louise Scott, believed to be Newark’s first African American millionaire, operated a beauty school and lived in the mansion from 1966-82. It’s currently open to the public as part of a Makerhoods project, and has as co-working and event space, a greenhouse and courtyard, a place for workshops and programs – especially by local artisans – and a demo kitchen.

Lost Souls Public Memorial Project
East Brunswick
In 1818, Jacob Van Wickle, a corrupt Middlesex County judge, kidnapped, enslaved and sold at least 137 African Americans. He was never held accountable. The group is working to create a permanent memorial in Middlesex County to remember the lives of the unknown people who were captured and died as slaves. For now, project members hold historical workshops, a Juneteenth celebration and the annual recitation of names throughout the year.

Midway Green Cemetery / Union Prospect Cemetery
Reids Hill Road, Aberdeen
The oldest gravestone is dated 1897. Former Aberdeen Township Historian Edward Fitzgerald believes the burials in this cemetery are all African Americans.

Mount Peace Cemetery
White Horse Pike and Mouldy Road, Lawnside
Founded in 1900 when African Americans were excluded from other non-secular burial grounds, the cemetery was created on 18 acres of farmland at Snowhill, which had been a station stop on the Underground Railroad. It is the final resting place of Civil War veteran Alexander Heritage Newton, Medal of Honor winner John Henry Lawson, veterans of all foreign wars, African royalty and persons listed in The Negro Motorist Green Book.

Mt. Pisgah AME Church & Cemetery
306 Warwick Road N., Lawnside
This historical African American church dates back to 1792, when meetings and classes were held on the farm. Around 1812, the Rev. Richard Allen, a circuit rider, rode frequently to Free Haven (now Lawnside) and preached. Mt. Pisgah’s cemetery, located behind the newer church building, is the final resting place of the Rev. Jarena Lee, the first female preacher licensed in the AME Church.

THE PAUL ROBESON HOUSE OF PRINCETON

The Paul Robeson House of Princeton
110 Witherspoon St., Princeton
This is the birthplace of Paul Robeson, who was a scholar, an all-American athlete, an artist and an activist. His childhood home has become a place to foster the advancement of the African American community in the Princeton area for over a century. The house is currently undergoing renovations, but should be reopened toward the end of the year.

Paul Robeson House & Museum
4951 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA
The Paul Robeson House and Museum hosts tours, art shows, organizational meetings, cultural events, the annual PorchFest and other activities. Plus, the Paul Robeson Chess Club meets here.

Pennington African Cemetery
413-417 S. Main St., Pennington
African descendants were buried in segregated cemeteries. There are Civil War veterans, teachers, preachers, singers, public servants and laborers buried here.

Peter Mott House Museum
26 Kings Ct., Lawnside
Peter Mott was a mid-19th century freedom fighter who used his home as a respite for the slaves fleeing north along the Underground Railroad. You can visit on Saturdays from 12-3 pm, or make an appointment for a weekday tour.

Scotch Hills Country Club (formerly Shady Rest Country Club)
820 Jerusalem Rd., Scotch Plains
Shady Rest opened in 1920 as the first African American Golf and Country Club in the United States. It was home to John Matthew Shippen Jr., the first American-born African American golf pro, and has hosted jazz and Blues legends like Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington. There is a 9-hole pro course and 18-hole mini golf, plus a pro shop, clubhouse and a pavilion.

STOUTSBURG SOURLAND AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM

Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum
Inside Mt. Zion AME Church, 189 Hollow Rd., Skillman
Listed on the National Historic Register, Central Jersey’s first dedicated Black history museum has a beautiful sanctuary where members celebrate and preserve the African American story from the Trans-Atlantic slave trade to the present day, especially as it relates to Central Jersey. The museum is open twice a month during winter and spring.

T. THOMAS FORTUNE CULTURAL CENTER

T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center
94 Drs. James Parker Blvd., Red Bank
T. Thomas Fortune was born into slavery in 1856, but became one of the most influential American journalists and newspaper publishers of the 19th and 20th centuries. He lived at Maple Hall in Red Bank from 1901-11. Activities and programs dedicated to his legacy take place inside the museum.

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Read More:
Black History Month Events and Celebrations in NJ

Learn All About New Jersey’s Rich History at Our State Museum (and It’s Free Admission)
Visit One of These Museums in NJ
Great Off the Beaten Path Museums in New Jersey
This Art Museum in North Jersey is More Than Meets the Eye
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