March 1, 1996 marked a pivotal moment in Princeton history; the exhibition, A Community Remembers: African-American Life in Princeton opened at the Historical Society of Princeton. This was a watershed moment not only for African Americans but for the entire Princeton community, for after two centuries the presence and contributions of African Americans in Princeton was finally being recognized. Hailing this event as significant does not imply that Princeton’s African-American community needs recognition to validate its existence. In fact, the community’s long-standing presence suggests quite the opposite.
A Community Remembers: African-American Life in Princeton was theculmination of over a year’s worth of research and planning in 1995 and 1996. Funding from the New Jersey Historical Commission, the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, the J. Seward Johnson, Sr. Charitable Trusts, and other sources, and the time and support provided by community members enabled the Historical Society to present some of the issues, concerns and remembrances of African-American Princetonians.
A Short History
African Americans in Princeton have been a vital community presence dating back to the late 17th-century when Blacks worked as slaves on large farms and in homes. (There was also a free Black community in Princeton dating from about 1687.) Under the Gradual Abolition of Slavery Law (1804), Black males born into slavery were to be free upon their 25th birthday, and females, at their 21st birthday.
Employment opportunities developed as the College of New Jersey, which had moved to Princeton in 1756, grew from a small college into a major institution of higher learning. Increasing wealth in the community created a high demand for labor and service positions that were generally filled by African Americans. By about 1910, there was also an extremely active Black business community; florists, barbershops, candy stores, beauty parlors, restaurants, clothing stores, and taxi services were owned and run by Black entrepreneurs.
In 1929, Edgar Palmer announced plans to develop a commercial square in the heart of town. The construction called for the shifting of a neighborhood which housed primarily Black residents. Houses were moved and new ones were built on Birch Avenue to accommodate the displaced residents. Housing continued to be a problem for the African American community up to the 1950s when an Urban Renewal Plan proposed tearing down homes and building public housing. Residents defeated the plan.
Churches acted as the backbone of the African-American community, as they provided a center for personal and spiritual development. Community schools offered instruction during an era where unequal access to educational opportunities was legal and common. The increasing availability of housing and jobs with private businesses gave many residents a feeling of permanence and a stake in the development of their community.
Princeton’s African-American community has withstood segregated schooling and theaters, limited employment opportunities, escalating housing costs, and the subtle but powerful effects of racial discrimination. Through the 1990s, many African Americans still expressed concerns over issues such as the rising cost of housing, which has pushed many people outside of the community, and discrepancies in education and employment opportunities. The memories of struggle, and of past accomplishments, remind everyone that progress is an on-going process that must be taken on by new generations to come.
The Albert E. Hinds Memorial Walking Tour: African-American Life in Princeton
In 1996, a walking tour of the African-American community was established. Shirley Satterfield, HSP trustee, has led these tours since that time and continues to offer them to the public and private groups. In 2007, the Historical Society of Princeton renamed this walking tour in memory of Princeton resident, Albert Hinds.
Albert E. Hinds was born in Princeton on April 14, 1902. He and his siblings attended the Princeton segregated school, Witherspoon School for Colored Children, and he continued his education at Talladega College in Talladega, Alabama.
Mr. Hinds’ services to the Princeton community were numerous. In 1925, he, along with another resident of Princeton, reopened the Colored YMCA that had been closed for a number of years. He served as the Y’s physical director, and in 1933 was the playground director for both Hightstown and Princeton. Another notable accomplishment was helping to pave Nassau Street, transforming it from a simple dirt road to major thoroughfare.
Over the years, Mr. Hinds was a member of the Zoning Board, a trustee of the Mt. Pisgah AME Church, and on the advisory board of the Historical Society of Princeton. An invaluable member of the community, Mr. Hinds passed away in Princeton at the age of 104.
A self-guided brochure of The Albert E. Hinds Memorial Walking Tour is available to purchase from the Historical Society for $1. Private group tours may also be arranged. Please contact Jeanette Cafaro, jeanette@princetonhistory.org or 609-921-6748 for more information.
