MORRIS COUNTY, N.J. — The Morris County Historical Society has launched a new self-guided driving tour highlighting African American history across the county, featuring 19 sites that recognize the contributions, experiences and stories of Black residents throughout Morris County’s history.
The African American History Driving Tour, announced earlier this month as part of the society’s “Revolution to Revolutionary” driving tour series, was released in recognition of Juneteenth.
Funded through a grant from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, the tour is part of the Morris County Historical Society’s ongoing effort to complete the county’s first comprehensive survey of African American history and historic sites.
“The driving tour is just the first of many initiatives that will showcase research findings related to the survey and creatively engage people in learning more about the vast African American history that’s found all across Morris County,” said Amy Curry, MCHS executive director.
The tour includes 19 locations across Morris County and highlights stories of Black joy, resilience, struggle and achievement. According to the historical society, the project is intended to evolve as additional research identifies more historic sites and community contributions.
“It’s not simply about visiting historic sites; it is about recognizing the people, places, and communities that shaped Morris County and ensuring that their stories remain visible. We see this as a living project and invite community members to help expand the tour by sharing additional sites, histories, and memories that deserve to be preserved and remembered,” said Dr. Denise Rompilla, project historian for the countywide survey.
The downloadable tour map is available on the Morris County Historical Society’s website. It is the third driving tour released in the “Revolution to Revolutionary” series, which was developed in partnership with local historians and historical organizations to encourage residents and visitors to explore Morris County’s history.
The Morris County Historical Society began its countywide African American history survey in 2021 in response to the limited representation of African American material culture in its 27,000-object collection. The initiative has expanded through partnerships with the New Jersey Historical Commission, New Jersey Council for the Humanities, New Jersey Economic Development Authority, Morris County Office of Planning and Preservation, Morris County Park Commission, Morris County Heritage Commission, F.M. Kirby Foundation and the Sankofa Heritage Collective of Morris County.
The Morris County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Morris County history. It is headquartered at Acorn Hall, 68 Morris Ave. in Morristown.
More information about the driving tour is available at MorrisCountyHistory.org. Information about Morris County’s America250 celebration is available at MorrisCounty250.com.
