New Jersey Historical Commission - NJHC

11/03/2026

Benjamin Lundy, born in Sussex County, was a Quaker, abolitionist, and publisher. His newspaper, Genisus of Emancipation, was one of America's first anti-slavery periodicals. Join us on November 7th as we celebrate the unveiling of a marker honoring his life and legacy.

Date: November 7, 2026
Time: 1:00pm
Location: 243 Kennedy Rd, Green Township, NJ

11/02/2026

The New Jersey Black Heritage Trail is accepting Pre-Application Worksheets on a rolling basis. A Pre-Application Worksheet is required for each round of nominations to outline your intention to apply for the New Jersey Black Heritage Trail. Worksheets submitted now will be considered for the 2027 cycle.

Submit your Pre-Application Worksheet today!
www.bit.ly/njbht-worksheet

Submissions are not accepted by paper, mail, or fax and must be submitted online.

10/31/2026

Some of the most iconic horror films have deep New Jersey roots. This October 31st, we are spotlighting the classic Halloween and its trailblazing producer Debra Hill.

Halloween is a 1978 independent, slasher horror film directed and scored by John Carpenter. Co-written by John Carpenter and producer Debra Hill, it had a profound influence on the horror movie genre, becoming one of the most profitable independent films of all time.

Producer and co-scriptwriter Debra Hill play a huge role in the film’s success. Debra Hill was born in Philadelphia, PA on Nov. 10, 1950 and moved to Haddonfield, NJ as a child where her family settled. Using a Super 8 film camera, she would make home movies throughout her childhood. She graduated Haddonfield Memorial High School in 1968 and would go on to Temple University to get a degree in sociology and statistics.

In 1975, Hill would shift into the film industry picking up experience as a production assistant, script supervisor, assistant director, and second unit director. It was on the set of Assault on Precinct 13 that she met John Carpenter. The two would hit it off and begin working on the script for Halloween, with Hill fleshing out the character of Laurie Strode (who was played by a debuting Jamie Lee Curtis).

The fictional suburban town of Haddonfield, IL in the movie was named in honor of her hometown Haddonfield, NJ. Although the movie was set in Illinois and filmed in South Pasadena, CA, it was heavily based on Hill’s own suburban upbringing in New Jersey.

Debra Hill would work on many more memorable films during her career including The Fog, Escape from New York, Clue, Halloween II and III, Dead Zone, and The Fisher King.

Hill passed away from cancer in 2005 leaving behind a trailblazing legacy for women in the film industry.

From all of us here at the New Jersey Historical Commission, we hope you have a safe and fun Halloween 🎃

10/28/2026

Only a few tickets left for the 2026 New Jersey History Conference on Friday, October 30th at Kean University!

Don't miss your opportunity to engage in the latest research on New Jersey's history and connect with fellow history professionals and enthusiasts from across the state.

Learn more and register at https://bit.ly/NJHC2026

10/27/2026

Calling all educators! Learn how you can bring local history into your classroom with the History Happened Here program this Thursday at 2:30pm.

History Happened Here is an engaging and flexible program that empowers students in grades 5 to 12 to choose their own topics from 250 years of local history, allowing them to connect with their communities in meaningful ways. As they explore primary source documents, analyze data, and create their projects, students develop important historical thinking skills and social studies practices aligned with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards, fostering a deeper understanding of their community's past while encouraging critical thinking and collaboration among peers.

Register for the zoom link at: https://bit.ly/HHH26

10/22/2026

As you schedule your Patriots Week agenda for this December 26-31, don't miss the magnificent Power to Change exhibit at the New Jersey State Museum. It features many priceless and important artifacts from the New Jersey State Archives not often out on display.

Get some details in this rave review from WHYY :

https://whyy.org/articles/nj-state-museum-rare-revolutionary-era-documents-250th-anniversary/

Can't wait until December? The Museum is open Tuesdays thru Sundays, and the exhibit is up until 2027. Go!

Visit New Jersey Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion The Old Barracks 120 East State New Jersey State Library America250 Visit Mercer NJ MercerMe

Rare documents and artifacts are on display at the museum in Trenton through the end of the year.

10/21/2026

Coming up next month! Our award-winning Tavern Talks team is headed to Harvest Moon Brewery & Cafe in New Brunswick, winner of Best Brew Pub in NJ. Join us for some Revolutionary conversation as the 250 commemorations continue!

bit.ly/taverntalksharvestmoon

New Brunswick Historical Society New Jersey New Brunswick Free Public Library Middlesex County Culture Middlesex County Regional Chamber of Commerce League of Historical Societies of New Jersey East Jersey Old Town Village Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area New Jersey Historical Commission - NJHC

10/20/2026

Join us on October 30th at the New Jersey History Conference for a thought-provoking keynote conversation on the impact of the American Revolution! Featuring leaders in history and the arts, this keynote roundtable will explore the global legacy of the American Revolution as well as its influence on public spaces in New Jersey today.

Learn more and register at: https://bit.ly/NJHC2026

Speakers:
Layqa Nuna Yawar, Multidisciplinary Artist & Lecturer at Rutgers-New Brunswick
Dr. Leslie M. Alexander, Professor of History at Rutgers-New Brunswick
Dr. Paul Farber, Director and Co-Founder of Monument Lab
Moderated by Dr. Andy Urban, Director of the NJ Monuments to Migration and Labor Project

10/19/2026

RESCHEDULED: Desegregation of Plainfield Schools NJ Black Heritage Trail Marker Unveiling

Join the New Jersey Orators, Plainfield Public Schools, and the New Jersey Historical Commission on October 29, 2026 in Plainfield, New Jersey at 1:00pm for the rescheduled dedication and unveiling of a New Jersey Black Heritage Trail marker honoring a Black family, Charles and Anna Booker, who fought for educational equality for their son. The Booker v. Board of Education case was the first of its kind to reach the Supreme Court of the State of New Jersey. NAACP attorney Robert L. Carter argued that Plainfield Public Schools were providing inferior education to Black students, and thereby not providing equal access to an education. This case changed how students were placed in schools statewide, how federal and state funding was allocated, and the way Board of Education members were chosen. It also became the precedent used in other court decisions regarding public school desegregation nationally.

Photo credit: David Rutherford, TAPinto Plainfield.

10/16/2026

This weekend New Jersey heats up with plays illuminating bold women from New Jersey's African American History! And next week meet us in Trenton and Madison for two new marker unveilings.

Check out the Black History events list: https://linktr.ee/blackhistorynj