Harriet Tubman Descendant To Headline Black Heritage Celebration In Middlesex County

East Jersey Old Town Village will host a special celebration of African American history and heritage on Saturday, October 11, featuring Michele Jones Galvin, the great-great-great-grandniece of legendary abolitionist Harriet Tubman.

The free, family-friendly event will run from noon to 4 p.m. Visitors can explore Middlesex County’s rich African American heritage through storytelling, live demonstrations, cultural food tastings, and interactive activities.

State Heritage Recognition

The programming coincides with the Village’s recent acceptance into New Jersey’s Black Heritage Trail system, established through legislation signed by Governor Phil Murphy. The state initiative uses historical markers to connect stories of African American resilience and achievement across New Jersey.

Historic Architecture Focus

Visitors can tour the Cato Hoagland House, which belonged to a free Black resident from 1862 through 1899. The structure houses artifacts and documents chronicling the experiences of both enslaved and free African Americans in Middlesex County.

The Village encompasses sixteen reconstructed buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries, positioned on grounds that once served farming and merchant communities in the Raritan Valley. Historical interpreters demonstrate traditional crafts and trades throughout the complex.

Literary and Cultural Programming

Attendees will meet Middlesex County historical fiction writer Monica Chenault-Kilgore, author of “The Jewel of the Blues” and “Long Gone, Come Home.” Chenault-Kilgore will discuss how she uses historical documents and oral histories to inspire her writing.

The event allows attendees to purchase signed copies of books by Chenault-Kilgore and Jones Galvin, director of community initiatives for Onondaga County Social Services. She co-wrote a family memoir exploring seven generations of women connected to Tubman’s bloodline. 

Food offerings will showcase African American culinary traditions through recipes representing various regions of the diaspora.

Community Partnership

Three organizations sponsor the programming: the Arts Institute of Middlesex County Division of History and Historic Preservation, and the NAACP’s Metuchen Edison and Piscataway Branch. 

East Jersey Old Town Village operates as a gateway site for the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area and sits along the Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail. The facility typically offers free admission year-round, except during Rutgers University events.

More information on the event can be found here: https://middlesexcountyculture.com/event/honoring-african-american-history-at-the-village-with-michele-jones-galvin/