Preserving 19th Century Black History in Newark with Artist Noelle Lorraine Williams

The "Stay" Exhibition at Newark Museum of Art

• 🖼️ The exhibition "Stay: The Black Women of 19th-Century Newark" celebrates the legacy of African-American women who significantly impacted their community.
• 🏛️ Hosted in the historic Ballentine House, the exhibit features portraits, newspapers, and archival documents to reflect the lives of these women.
• 💡 The show highlights women like Sarah Oake Evans (artist and businesswoman), Ellen King (teacher), and Hannah Mendeville (freed slave), showcasing their diverse contributions.

Uncovering Newark's Black History

• 🔍 Historian Noelle Lorraine Williams was driven to uncover Newark's Black history, inspired by stories from other Northern cities like Seneca Village in Manhattan.
• 📚 She discovered that Black activism in 19th-century Newark was as vibrant and multifaceted as in the 1960s, involving community building, fighting slavery, and advocating for voting rights.
• ⛪ Black churches served as crucial early political centers, facilitating fundraising, providing shelter, and supporting the Underground Railroad.

Stories of Resilience and Activism

• 🎶 Sarah Oake Evans, from a prominent Black family with roots in the West Indies, was part of a musical legacy that supported St. Phillip's Church, a vital Black political center.
• 🏠 Hannah Mendeville, born enslaved, lived in a house on a field that later became part of Rutgers University for 60 years, demonstrating incredible resilience even when facing eviction in her 90s.
• 🍎 Ellen King, daughter of an Underground Railroad treasurer, taught in North Carolina and later in Newark, emphasizing that teaching and literacy were acts of activism and autonomy.

Artistic and Historical Preservation

• 🎨 Williams uses her art to bring these historical figures to life, rendering Emma Oake on lace and depicting Hannah's story through cutouts accompanied by music.
• 🌍 The exhibition aims to connect contemporary audiences with the resilience and activism of Black women in the 19th century, showing how their fight for rights and community building laid the foundation for future movements.
• 🌱 The core inspiration from the exhibition is the idea that every day offers an opportunity to make decisions, express oneself, build community, and continue learning.