Fall 2020 Revolution NJ Update Available on YouTube
The Fall 2020 update session on plans for Revolution NJ, the state’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, is available for viewing on YouTube.
The October 14 session included:
- updates on funding for the initiative, including a $500,000 state budget appropriation for the 2021 Fiscal Year and applications for grants for a Revolution NJ app and urban conversation centers.
- ongoing long-range planning, informed by public commentary during listening sessions that occurred in 2019 and early 2020
- the latest on the statewide K-12 social studies curriculum survey whose results will help determine priority areas for Revolution NJ education initiatives
- governance structure updates
- the latest on work toward a possible multi-location Revolution NJ public arts project in partnership with the NJ State Council on the Arts and Monument Lab .
Guest speaker Algernon Ward, Jr. of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment Reenactors, Inc. presented “Freedom First: Black Soldiers in the American Revolution.” Citing examples on both the British and American sides of the war, Ward related the rationale for Black men to join the British forces, as well as the evolving attitudes and regulations that first restricted then allowed Blacks to join the Continental Army. Ward can be contacted at Algernon.ward at gmail.com .
Additional resources discussed during the Q&A session include:
Black Lives in the Past and Present: New Jersey African American Resources for the American Revolution. – NJEA Review.
Revolutionary Neighbors profiles of Black New Jerseyans who fought during the Revolution:
Colonel Tye (Loyalist)
Prime (Continental Army)
Jacob Francis (Continental Army)
Oliver Cromwell (Continental Army)
NJ Historical Commission’s COVID-19 resources list: (please note that some resources included in this document are out of date)
NJHC and New Jersey Council on the Humanities’ Advancing Your Mission During COVID-19 and Beyond webinar series.
The next Revolution NJ update session will be held on Tuesday, January 14 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This meeting will be held virtually, online; participation details will be announced as the date nears.
July 15 Update Session Available on YouTube, Fall Session Announced
The Summer 2020 update session on plans for Revolution NJ, the state’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, is available for viewing on YouTube.
During the July 15 session, New Jersey Historical Commission Executive Director Sara Cureton outlined the governance structure for Revolution NJ, including the 18 members of the Advisory Council that will assure that programs and activities align with Revolution NJ goals and interpretive framework. Crossroads Executive Director Janice Selinger noted that sites visited during the Visitor Readiness assessment have received their evaluations; Richard Hunter of Hunter Research joined the Q&A session to respond to queries.
New Jersey Historical Commission board chair Maxine Lurie, PhD presented an insightful discussion on Exploring the American Revolution in New Jersey and Encountering the Unexpected, examples of fighting Quakers, surprising Loyalists who returned, and the costs of being a Patriot.
Please note that due to technical difficulties, the recorded presentation started after a sneak peek at the updated Revolution NJ logo. Adjusted following the winter introduction, the logo has been market tested and will be formally introduced to the public in the fall.
Our next update session will be held on Wednesday, October 14 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This virtual meeting will be held via Zoom; participation details will be announced as the date nears.
April 21 Annual Meeting available on YouTube
Major findings of the visitor readiness assessment of New Jersey Revolutionary-era historic sites were presented at Crossroads of the American Revolution’s 2020 annual meeting held via Go-To-Meeting on April 21. The executive summary of the report is available here.
The session started with a brief 2019 year in review from Crossroads Board of Trustees President Ira Jersey and Executive Director Janice Selinger, outlining a selection of Crossroads’ program results.
Members of the Site and Visitor Readiness Assessment team then presented highlights of their findings and recommendations for preparing New Jersey’s Revolutionary-era historic sites for increased visitorship during the nation’s 250th anniversary. The team includes architecture, planning and historic planning firm Clarke Caton Hintz; cultural resources consultants Hunter Research; and destination development, strategic planning and tourism marketing firm Hargrove International.
A replay of the virtual session is available on Visit Crossroads’ YouTube channel for the replay of the virtual session.
Download the Site and Visitor Readiness Assessment materials:
Executive Summary (6.5 MB)
Full report (36.7 MB)
Appendices (2.8 MB)
List of sites by Market Potential (428 kb)
List of sites by county (78 kb)
January 8 Quarterly 250th Update available on YouTube
View and listen to the replay of the winter update for Revolution NJ, New Jersey’s planning for the 250th anniversry of the United States, held on January 8, 2020. The replay is available on YouTube.
Topics covered during the session included the introduction of the new Revolution NJ logo, the latest on the NJ Revolutionary-era site survey, Crossroads’ upcoming workshop on Sharing Untold Stories and progress on the comprehensive, statewide survey of social studies curricula.
Watch for invitations for Crossroads March 18 Annual Meeting, where results of the site survey will be presented, and the next Quarterly 250th update on April 21.
Replay of October 2 Quarterly 250th Update Meeting available
The fall update on New Jersey’s planning for the 250th anniversary of the United States was held on October 2 at the Historic Hunterdon County Courthouse in Flemington. View the presentation on YouTube.
Topics covered during this session with the New Jersey Historical Commission and Crossroads include the latest on the upcoming survey of social studies curricula, the Revolutionary-era site survey, national 250th efforts and more.
Mark your calendars for the next quarterly update: we’ve scheduled the session for January 8 at 12:30 p.m., on Go To Meeting only. Join us from the comfort of your home or office! We’ll announce participation details in December.
Replay of July 24 Quarterly 250th Update Meeting available
Learn the latest developments on New Jersey’s planning for the 250th anniversary of the United States. The July 24 session at the Camden County Historical Society is now available on You Tube here.
Crossroads Executive Director Janice Selinger and New Jersey Historical Commission Executive Director Sara Cureton share updates on national planning, New Jersey’s site assessment project, listening sessions and more.
Heritage Tourism presentation available
Heritage Tourism expert Cheryl Hargrove, president/owner of HTC Partners, led two interactive workshops on heritage tourism trends in conjunction with the 250th historic site assessment project. During the sessions, held in Hammonton and Morristown, Hargrove shared findings on the demographics, needs and interests of heritage travelers, as well as ways historic sites can attract these potential guests and encourage repeat visits.
Clarke Caton Hintz principal John Hatch joined Hargrove in sharing more information on the site assessment process being conducted by the CCH/Hunter Associates/Hargrove team.
For more information, download the Crossroads Heritage Tourism Workshop presentation.
Additionally, interested parties are invited to download the list of New Jersey Revolutionary Historic Sites being visited by the assessment team.
250th planning update announces Site Assessment team, progress on initiatives
Members of the Revolutionary heritage community met at Washington’s Headquarters Museum in Morristown on April 30 for a quarterly update on plans for New Jersey’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of American independence.
New Jersey Historical Commission Executive Director Sara Cureton and Crossroads Executive Director Janice Selinger updated the assembled group on developments since the January session. Key points were the appointment of Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) to the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission and the selection of the Clarke Caton Hintz/Hunter Associates/HTC Partners team to perform readiness assessments of the state’s Revolutionary heritage sites. Plans are also in the works to form a 250th Campaign Committee to raise the substantial funds needed to prepare our historic sites to welcome more visitors.
For more information, download the presentation .
Crossroads Selected as Partner to Drive NJ Planning for Nation’s 250th Anniversary
(Oct 25 2018) Crossroads of the American Revolution Association has been selected as the private sector partner to work with the New Jersey Historical Commission within the state to plan commemorations and observances of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The selection was made following passage of legislation earlier this year (A-4194/S-2738 (Coughlin/Weinberg, Beach) which directed the NJHC to partner with an organization focused on preserving and promoting New Jersey’s Revolutionary heritage.
“We’re eager to get to work to elevate New Jersey’s Revolutionary sites and events on the list of must-see destinations for visitors during the nation’s 250th anniversary,” said Crossroads Board Chair Ira Jersey. “Through this new partnership with the NJ Heritage Commission, we’ll build alliances with New Jersey’s business and civic communities to capitalize on the economic potential of attracting new visitors to the state during the anniversary. Our Revolutionary history is unique among the original 13 states, and Crossroads is proud to be chosen to help lead the effort to prepare our historic sites to share their stories.”
Designated by Act of the U.S. Congress to administer the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area, Crossroads has built a network of more than 130 heritage and history groups, representing more than 200 Revolutionary-era sites in New Jersey. The organization promotes the state’s Revolutionary heritage and events, and provides professional development training to help organizations present authentic portrayals of 18th century life in the state.
“The 250th anniversary offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build awareness of New Jersey’s unsung role in the nation’s fight for independence,” said Crossroads Executive Director Janice Selinger. “The state was the site of more battles and skirmishes than anyplace else during the Revolution, making the war a daily reality for 18th century New Jerseyans. Residents were forced to make hard decisions about their allegiances, as those choices had real-life impact.”
The public-private partnership will continue to engage Crossroads’ Heritage Partners and other historic sites and organizations across the state in planning meetings and listening sessions, with the next gathering planned for early 2019. More information on the partnership and 250th planning is available from the New Jersey Department of State.
