Learn About 'Complicated' History Of Slavery In New Jersey From Talk In Mahwah

MAHWAH, NJ — Mahwah contains several historic sites related to Black history during the period of slavery, including an abandoned Slave Cemetery, most likely the burial site of slaves of the Hopper Family from the late 1700s. READ MORE: 1800s Slave Cemetery Hidden In Mahwah Woods

The Mahwah Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) and the Mahwah Museum have partnered to present what they say will be "a fascinating talk about the history of slavery in NJ," with award-winning author and historian R. Isabela Morales, PhD, at the Mahwah Library.

The talk will take place on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at 3 p.m. Registration is encouraged at www.mahwahlibrary.com.

Besides the Hopper site, the town also contains the burial site of Cynthia Hesdra, whom local historians say was "an amazing woman who was enslaved for part of her life and went on to amass a sizable fortune. She died the equivalent of a multimillionaire and has been honored for being a conductor on the Underground Railroad."

“We invited Dr. Morales to share some of her extensive knowledge of the history of slavery, in NJ in particular, to help us understand the historic and cultural context of these sites,” said Anne Powley, chair of the Historic Preservation Commission.

Morales is the Education and Exhibit Manager at the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum , Central New Jersey's first dedicated Black history museum, and the founding editor of Princeton University's expansive public history initiative, The Princeton & Slavery Project.

Her first book, Happy Dreams of Liberty: An American Family in Slavery and Freedom, has won numerous honors and awards, including the prestigious Frederick Douglass Book Prize from Yale University's Gilder Lehrman Center. It tells the true story of a wealthy plantation owner, Samuel Townsend, who died in Alabama in 1856 and donated almost the entirety of his fortune to his enslaved children.

New Jersey's 'Complicated' Slave History

The historic group said, "New Jersey has a lengthy and complicated history with the slave trade. Perth Amboy was one of the documented sites where slaves were unloaded as part of the horrific Middle Passage and enslaved laborers were forced to work throughout the state on farms, in all areas of shipping, in manufacturing, as domestic help, and to build housing for the growing population. By 1800, 20 percent of Bergen County’s population were slaves, the highest of any of the counties in New Jersey."

The Mahwah Township Historic Preservation Commission is part of municipal government. It's comprised of an 11-member volunteer board, appointed by the mayor, to protect the community's architectural, archaeological and cultural heritage by preserving historic cemeteries,
objects, sites, and structures. To volunteer, contact Historic@MahwahTwp.org. For more information, visit www.MahwahTwp.org and follow us on Facebook@MahwahHistoricPreservation Commission.

The Mahwah Museum, located at 201 Franklin Turnpike, Mahwah, was founded in 2001 to preserve and present the history of the community and its connection to the region. The Museum offers a series of exhibitions, programs, and events, both in person and virtual. The Museum is
a registered non-profit corporation and governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees.

Find out about the upcoming speaker here: www.risabelamorales.com