On Tuesday, September 19 beginning at 6 p.m., Newark Public Library will present a special program entitled “Black Liberation: Seeking Freedom in 18th and 19th Century Newark.” The event will be held at Newark Public Library, but participants may also join the program virtually at https://www.njpac.org/event/black-liberation-seeking-freedom-in-18th-and-19th-century-newark/. It is requested that those who are joining in person or virtually RSVP either way at the indicated link.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Blacks in Newark resisted slavery, advocated for abolitionism, and assisted others in their quest for freedom. In this program, James Amemasor — research specialist at the New Jersey Historical Society — will discuss how enslaved people in Newark sought freedom during and after the American Revolution, and the efforts of their enslavers to track them down. Noelle Lorraine Williams, director of the African American History Program at the New Jersey Historical Commission, will reveal how Black churches and residents of pre-Civil War Newark fought slavery and assisted freedom seekers via the Underground Railroad.

The Main Branch of Newark Public Library is located at 5 Washington Street in Newark. For questions, call 973.733.7779 or visit npl.org.