Howe House Newsletter August 2026
Howe House Updates
Friends of the Howe House Honored at Montclair’s Fourth of July Parade
Montclair’s 2026 4th of July Parade commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States was led by a trio of Grand Marshals, each of whom represented a NJ Black Heritage Trail designation: Friends of the Howe House,The Montclair History Center, and St. Mark’s United Methodist Church. Representation for Friends of the Howe House included President Kimberly Latortue, Vice President Cathy Smith, Board Member and Township Councilmember Aminah Toler, Board Member Betty Holloway, Board Member Nicole Gray, Treasurer Geoff Rockhill, and other volunteers.
“These three organizations are central to the history and culture of Montclair,” said Donato DiGeronimo, president of the Montclair Celebrates July 4th Committee. “Our community is proud that each has been named to the New Jersey Black Heritage Trail, and it is our privilege to honor their important contributions to understanding and celebrating the history of Montclair.” Read more here.
NJ Council for the Humanities Community Project Grant
In January Howe House was selected and awarded a grant by the NJ Council for the Humanities to create a community project as part of their 2026 program focusing on America's 250th anniversary and its legacy. In July we met with community members, including Montclair residents, and representatives from partners such as the Montclair History Center and MAAHF to serve on our Community History Advisory Board. We’re looking forward to presenting our project and showcasing it to the community, so stay tuned!
Upcoming Events
Discover History in the Making: Public Archaeology at the James Howe House
Step behind the scenes of an exciting archaeological investigation at the historic James Howe House and witness history being uncovered—one layer at a time.
On Saturday, September 26, the Friends of the Howe House will welcome the public to observe professional archaeologists from Montclair State University as they begin exploring one of Montclair's most historically significant sites.
Visitors will have the unique opportunity to watch archaeologists and students at work, learn how archaeological investigations are conducted, and discover how artifacts and features beneath the ground help tell stories that are often absent from written records. Throughout the day, members of the archaeological team will be available to answer questions, explain excavation techniques, discuss discoveries, and share how archaeology contributes to preserving and interpreting local history.
The archaeological investigation represents the first phase of a larger research initiative that includes historical documentation, archaeological survey, technical reporting, and ongoing public engagement. Led by Dr. Christopher Matthews, Professor of Anthropology at Montclair State University, and Will Williams, Doctoral Candidate at the CUNY Graduate Center, the project will investigate the landscape surrounding the James Howe House to better understand the lives of James Howe, his family, and the broader African American community that developed around the property during the nineteenth century. Registration details coming soon!
Friends of the Howe House and the Montclair Time Capsule Project: Leaving a Legacy
Friends of the Howe House is excited to collaborate with The Traveling Diary Tour, the Montclair Art Museum, Montclair Public Library, Montclair History Center, Montclair Cultural Arts Advisory Committee, and DWNTWN Montclair for this important project encouraging personal storytelling and human connection while preserving stories that have almost been lost to history.
Dates: Saturday, Oct. 3rd 1-3pm & Sunday, Oct. 4th 1-3pm
Location: Howe House 369 Claremont Ave. Montclair
FOHH invites participants to join us for a conversation about memory, legacy, home, and what we choose to leave behind for future generations. We focus on the story of James Howe, the artifacts left behind in his home, and how his journey from slavery to freedom and home ownership can inspire us to preserve our history and share hopes for the future. Throughout this interactive event, participants will explore how ordinary objects—letters, photographs, deeds, and documents—become historical artifacts that tell future generations who we were. Learn more at https://montclaircommunitytimecapsule.com/. Stay tuned for registration details!
Detailed Schedule Below:
1:00-1:10: Welcome and Project Introduction
1:10-1:30: Leaving a Legacy: The Story of James Howe and How His Story Survived
Participants examine reproductions and historical records from FOHH archives.
1:30-1:45: Connecting to the Time Capsule Project
James Howe's story survived because records, deeds, and community memory survived. The Time Capsule asks a similar question: What do we want future Montclair residents to know about us in 2076?
1:45-2:15: Dear Montclair, 2076: A Community Letter Writing Experience
Participants are encouraged to imagine themselves as the ancestors who will leave behind artifacts in the form of letters to future generations about who we were. Participants are invited to craft letters in response to a prompt.
2:15-2:30: Community Memory Wall
Participants are invited to answer a question and display the responses around the room to be discussed and photographed for the Howe House archives.
2:30-3:00: Decorating Envelopes
Participants can continue decorating envelopes while listening to the closing public education segment.
2:40-2:50: Leaving a Legacy: Remembering and Repair
Participants have an opportunity once more to hear how the work of FOHH intersects with education and advocacy efforts in New Jersey to seek remembrance and repair for the history and legacy of racialized state policies and practices.
2:50-3:00: Wrapping Up, Bonus Letter, and Toward Next Time
Participants are invited write a second, optional letter from home that they can mail back to the Howe House, or hand deliver at the Time Capsule submersion event in November. These letters would not be included in the community time capsule, but would be preserved in a special Howe House Legacy Archive revisited at possible future Howe House Time Capsule events 5-10 years from now.
News from Around the Country
Three Million Dollars Awarded to African American Historical Sites Throughout the US
In July, the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund at the National Trust for Historic Preservation awarded $3 million in grants to support 27 sites across the country that represent Black American joy, resilience, innovation, and activism. The sites range from The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor across 4 southern states to The Abyssinian Meeting House in Portland Maine to the Decatur Scottsboro Boys Civil Rights Museum and the Judge James E. Horton Jr. Legal Learning Center in Alabama. Read more about all the sites selected here.
