GOVERNOR MURPHY AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WAY HOST PANEL DISCUSSION “FREEDOM, SLAVERY, AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION”

In honor of Black History Month and New Jersey’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, Governor Phil Murphy and Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way moderated a panel discussion at Montclair Brewery with Rutgers University President and Distinguished Professor Jonathan Holloway, a leading scholar of African American history, and Princeton University Associate Professor of History Michael Blaakman, a historian of the American Revolution.

The discussion, “Freedom, Slavery, and the American Revolution: A Conversation with Professors Jonathan Holloway and Michael Blaakman,” focused on the stories, questions, and tensions of this seminal period in American history—from the ambiguous consequences for African Americans in the new nation to the role of Black soldiers in the Continental Army to the reality of slavery in northern states.

“As we commemorate our nation’s 250th anniversary, it’s important that we honor the often overlooked stories of African Americans, who played an integral role in our nation’s founding,” said Governor Murphy. “President Holloway and Dr. Blaakman’s expertise and scholarship provide an insightful and unique perspective on this complex period of our nation’s history. Lieutenant Governor Way and I are proud to spotlight the stories of Black Americans as part of our 250th-anniversary programming.”

“Black history is American history. And what better way to celebrate Black History Month than by recognizing the sacrifices and contributions of African Americans in the early days of our country?” said Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State Tahesha Way. “I look forward to hosting more events to ensure the untold stories of Black Americans are rightfully shared as part of our commemorative activities.”

“The painful reality is that in making their own case for liberty, the colonists used the language of the day to complain that the British crown was treating them as slaves—somehow ignoring the people they literally owned, blind to their existence and the irony of their own complaints,” said Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway.

“The American Revolution was both a political struggle for independence and a violent civil war. At its heart lay the profound contradiction of slavery’s persistence in a land proclaiming radical new ideas about liberty and equality, a tension inscribed in the Declaration itself,” said Princeton University Associate Professor of History Michael Blaakman. “The 250th offers all of us an opportunity to learn more about the men and women who participated in the Revolution — including the thousands of African Americans who fought for or against the patriot cause and who seized the moment to forge their own pathways to freedom. Their stories are essential for understanding what was truly revolutionary about the American Revolution.”