Routes to Roots Heritage Trail

Paul Robeson's Childhood Home

 Paul Robeson was an exceptional multi-lingual American actor, athlete, singer, author, cultural scholar and civil rights activist.  Born in Princeton, New Jersey on April 9, 1898, Robeson was the fifth and youngest child of Rev. William D. Robeson, (a former escaped slave), and Maria Lousia (Bustill).  This home was the primary residence of the family during Paul's childhood in Princeton, NJ.  For information regarding walking tours, please contact the Historical Society of Princeton.

Paul Robeson's Childhood Home
110 Witherspoon Street
Princeton, NJ

The Historical Society of Princeton
Bainbridge House
158 Nassau Street
Princeton, NJ 08542
Tuesday - Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m.
609.921.6748
information@princetonhistory.org

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Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church

 The Witherspoon Street Church is best known for the role it played in working towards social justice. Dating back to 1840, church leaders and members spoke out against slavery, assisted with the Underground Railroad, and later were active in the Civil Rights Movement. The church is also noted for its influential pastors which included Reverend William Robeson, the father of Paul Robeson, and  Reverend Benjamin Anderson who led the effort to build Princeton's first integrated housing development in the 1950s. Anderson also assisted area restaurant and hotel workers to unionize. For additional information please contact the church as follows:

Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church
124 Witherspoon Street
Princeton, NJ 08542
(609) 924-1666
http://www.witherspoonchurch.org
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Mt. Pisgah African Methodist Episcopal Church

 Organized in 1832 by Samson Peters, a preacher in the Trenton African Methodist Episcopal Church, Mount Pisgah is the oldest African-American church in Princeton. The first congregation met in a frame house on Witherspoon Street through 1835 until the first church building was constructed.  The church's present day structure dates back to 1860. The church's property also includes a small cemetery with headstones that date back to the 1850s. For additional information please contact the church as follows:

Mt. Pisgah AME Church
170 Witherspoon Street
Princeton, NJ
(609) 924-9017
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Old Barracks Museum

 The Old Barracks is a State and National Landmark located in Trenton, New Jersey. Built in 1758 by the Colony of New Jersey during the French and Indian War, the Old Barracks was a witness in 1776 to the Battle of Trenton, the turning point of the American Revolution. Today, the Old Barracks serves as an educational center for Colonial and American history, and stands as the last remaining structure of its kind. The Old Barracks staff provides daily tours and interpretations of American colonial life including the contribution of African American troops during the Revolutionary and Civil War(s). The building offers a museum of artifacts and weapons, as well as a gift shop. Open daily, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Admission: $8 for adults, $6 for seniors (age 62+) and students (age 6 and above, with ID when applicable); children 5 and under are free.

Old Barracks Museum
Barrack Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
(609) 396-1776 (9am-5pm); (609) 777-3599 (weekends)
Barracks@voicenet.com
http://www.barracks.org
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The 1719 William Trent House Museum

 Built between 1716 - 1719, this National Historic Lanndmark is the oldest building in New Jersey's capital city and once home to William Trent for whom the city is named. Trent was a wealthy Scottish merchant who had relocated from Philadelphia to the falls of the Delaware River in 1719.  Trent died suddenly and without a will, hence an inventory of his estate was made in 1726.  The inventory included a list of eleven slaves, (including men, women and children), of African and West Indian descent as a part of his possessions.  Today, the homestead serves as a museum dedicated to the careful preservation and accurate historical interpretation of Trent and his family, his role in the Battles of Trenton, colonial life during the early 18th century, as well as the untold story of the small community of slaves who lived within the household. A new exhibit, including clothing and other authentic artifacts, will soon be unveiled at the museum to explore the lives of the slaves who played an important role in the Trent household. Guided tours are available daily from 12:30 to 4:00 PM (closed holidays). Admission is $3.00. Parking is available on William Trent Place or in the adjacent parking lot. For additional information visit the museum website or call (609) 989-3027.

The 1719 William Trent House Museum
15 Market Street, (at William Trent Space)
Trenton, NJ
www.WilliamTrentHouse.org
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 The Trenton Downtown Association (TDA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to making Trenton, NJ's capital city a more competitive location for business owners and a more engaging center for workers, residents and visitors. Annually, TDA celebrates Trenton's unique and pivotal role in the American Revolution with its Patriots' Week. Hosted annually during the week between Christmas and New Year's, Patriots' Week attracts thousands of visitors to enjoy art, music, literature, battlefield re-enactments, and living history events. TDA is also committed to highlighting the pivotal role of people of African descent during the Revolution in its Patriots week activities.  For additional information about Patriots Week and other TDA events please visit their website at http://trenton-downtown.com.
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6^th Regiment U.S. Colored Troops Reenactors, Inc.

 The 6^th Regiment U.S. Colored Troops Reenactors is a charitable organization, whose purpose is to commemorate the contributions of the United States Colored Troops during the
American Civil War as well as The Black Regiment of the American Revolution.  The 6^TH  Regiment Troops recapture the proud heritage of the United States Colored Troops in portraying soldiers and other roles related to the actual historical events, places and personalities associated with these periods. Beyond re-enacting battles where drilling and battlefield maneuvers are emphasized, the 6th Regiment USCT is also a living history regiment, which promotes education and community service. Its' activities include the USCT Cadets (age 9-17), honor guards at ceremonial events, parades, school and library lectures, church programs, and senior center visits. The 6^th USCT participates in the Camp Olden Civil War Round Table which maintains a Civil War and Native American Museum in Veterans Park, in Hamilton NJ. The regiment actively volunteers at the Trenton Old Barracks Museum, and participates with the Continental Line at Revolutionary War events. Historical reenactments as well as speakers are available upon request to at 6thusct@gmail.com or sixthusct@yahoo.com .

The 6^th Regiment U.S. Colored Troops Inc. (6th USCT)
http://3rdusct.org (Access the 6^th Regiment's webpage in the links section of the 3^rd US Colored Infantry website)

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Historical Society of Princeton

 The mission of the Historical Society of Princeton is to collect and preserve materials pertaining to the town and its environs, and to interpret the history of the area through exhibitions, educational programs, and publications. Since its founding in 1938, the Historical Society has amassed, recorded, and exhibited a collection of over 40,000 artifacts, manuscripts, photographs, decorative arts objects, artworks, and articles of clothing dating from the 17th century to the present, and has offered a broad range of educational services and activities to local residents, students, scholars, and visitors from around the world.  The Society also has as a part of its collections and outreach programs, artifacts, documents and photographs detailing the history of African Americans in Princeton. The Historical Society of Princeton (HSP) offers self-guided walking tour brochures of the historic African-American neighborhood in Princeton, the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood. This walking tour is titled The Albert E. Hinds Memorial Walking Tour: African-American Life in Princeton: brochures for $1 each are available at the society's Bainbridge House office. In addition, relatively recent (1990s to today) donations to the HSP manuscript and photographic collections include materials about specific African-American families and organizations in Princeton. These collections are available to research during regular research hours at the HSP: Tuesday and Saturday, 1 to 4pm. Basic information about utilizing the collections can be found at: http://www.princetonhistory.org/library.cfm

The Historical Society of Princeton, located at 158 Nassau St., is open to the public free of charge Tuesday- Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m.; winter hours may vary. For further information, please call (609) 921-6748

 Explore the Pride-Unity-Leadership-Sisterhood-Esteem (PULSE) of Princeton, New Jersey, through this online photographic collection of the history of the city's African American community, presented by Princeton High School.  http://phs.prs.k12.nj.us/pulse/index.html

County History and Resource Organizations

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