EO Historical Society swings into high gear this month

EAST ORANGE, NJ — The Historical Society of East Orange kicked off Black History Month by rolling out its traveling tribute to local history, which was on display in the lobby of City Hall for the first week of February.

“We are once again putting on display our traveling program, with regard to individuals who have made the first in their particular field and they are from East Orange,” Historical Society of East Orange President Goldie T. Burbage said Monday, Feb. 1. “So we‘re celebrating (Black History Month) and our residents who have made us proud. We want to make sure that everybody knows about them, because our motto is: Preserving the past for the present to prepare for the future.”

The Historical Society of East Orange will continue its annual observance of Black History Month by hosting a “Celebration of Black History Month” on Thursday, Feb. 25, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Cicely Tyson School of Performing Arts Center. Business consultant and motivational speaker Dr. Lenworth Gunther will be featured at the event. For those who missed it at City Hall, the traveling history tribute will be on display in the school’s lobby on Thursday, Feb. 25.

“Come early, enjoy the entertainment, view the colorful display of our local luminaries and their historical accomplishments and browse our display of African artifacts,” Burbage said Thursday, Feb. 11. “It’s unfortunate that many of our children, whether they be African-American or otherwise, don’t know their history. They don’t know the hard-fought battles that our forebears endured, so that we could enjoy the life that we have today. There are so many privileges that we didn’t have in the past that we just take for granted today. They don’t know what it was to be told that you have to sit in the back of the bus; to be told that you can’t take a certain course in high school, let alone even attend high school; to be told you are a domestic, you have to use the backdoor. I am fortunate to have had parents who taught us about our history and allowed us to take wings and fly.”

Burbage says she wants to pay that forward by working to keep black history alive throughout the rest of the year, not only in February.

Historical Society of East Orange member Patricia Caesar is serving as Black History Month chairwoman. The longtime city resident said her family’s roots in East Orange run deep.

“One of the reasons I joined the Historical Society is because my family, the Caesar family, is one of the oldest documented black pioneer families in East Orange,” she said Monday, Feb. 1. “My paternal grandparents settled here in 1898 and I have a history here. I’m proud to chair this committee. Stay tuned because there’s more coming this month.”

Former 4th Ward Councilwoman Florence Johnson is also a member of the Historical Society of East Orange and said the Black History Month exhibit and the celebration of Black History Month are important touchstones for anyone interested in the city’s past and the continuing influence it exhibits for the future.

“This exhibit is very important, so the residents of East Orange know their history and know not only the firsts, but the people that have contributed to make this city great,” Johnson said Monday, Feb. 1. “I’m just very happy to be a part of it. I think everybody should come out and celebrate their heritage.”

Historical Society of East Orange treasurer Ray Scott is also a member of the East Orange Education Foundation and said both groups are concerned with education and keeping the past alive, so young people can learn from it and apply those lessons to the future.

“We want to introduce our children and make sure they stay aware of the wonderful things that have been accomplished by the citizens of the city of East Orange,” Scott said Monday, Feb. 1. “We break that down during Black History Month. Since we have a city that’s majority black, that’s what we are trying to do.”