Category: Black History

Honoring Black History Month with stories from the Somerset Hills.

Honoring Black History Month in the Somerset Hills

Mr. Local History
Celebrating Black History Month in Bedminster, Bernards Township, Bernardsville, Far Hills, Peapack and Gladstone in the Somerset HIlls - Mr. Local History Project

Post Views: 1,211 NOTE: As with many Mr. Local History retrospectives, we often update the post when we learn stories and are sent photos from our community. We will continue to expand this piece as information becomes available. Mr. Local History Project The Mr. Local History Project is often asked to dig into particular historic events, historic properties, and historic people. Every February the nation celebrates black history month so we wanted to do some digging, and crowdsource to the local communities to build on honoring the month with stories…

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Retrospective: Robert Terry – Tuskegee Airmen and Basking Ridge Pilot

Mr. Local History

Post Views: 2,820 Civilian Pilot and Army Air Force Instructor Robert (Bob) Terry from Basking Ridge, New Jersey was a groundbreaking Pilot in WWII….and yes, he was black. NOTE: As with all Mr. Local History retrospectives, we often update the post when we learn stories and are sent photos from our community. We will continue to expand this piece as information becomes available. The story is expanding as we learn more about the family. Mr. Local History Project You would think being black today and being a pilot didn’t matter, and…

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Dr. Robert Finley, Founder of the American Colonization Society

Mr. Local History
Rev. Robert Finley, founder of the American Colonization Society supported the creation of Liberia in Africa to colonize with freed American blacks in the early 1800s.

Post Views: 960 Dr. Robert Finley’s Work To Help Blacks, Defeat Slavery and Colonize Liberia Many remember that Dr. and Reverend Robert Finley was a pastor for 20 years at a Presbyterian church in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Finley and also taught school at a boys’ academy known locally as the Brick Academy. Dr. Robert Finley was born in Princeton,New Jersey on February 13, 1772 to his parents James and Ann Finley. He attended the College of New Jersey and graduated at the age of only 15! Robert later married…

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A Unique Bedminster Cemetery-“God’s Acre”

Mr. Local History
Mr Local History takes a look at a unique burial ground in Bedminster, New Jersey

Post Views: 3,544 So we’re over at the Bedminster Farmers Market and while meeting a few of the locals, one of the patrons mentioned “why don’t you research what’s going on over at the slave burial grounds in Bedminster. Here we are. We love a good local history lesson, so let’s do this. Tucked behind the second Watchung Mountain off Lamington Road in Bedminster lies what had been identified as a slave burial ground. Back in the early 18th century the area was quietly farmed mostly by Dutch families who…

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