​Uncovering Untold Stories: A Conversationwith New Jersey Historian James Johnson

February is Black History Month, a time to reflect on the contributions and experiences of Black Americans throughout history.
 
This year, we had the privilege of speaking with historian James E. Johnson, author of "Black Biographies of the Lower Delaware Valley: Antebellum to the Great Migration," to delve into his research and the rich history of Black communities in South Jersey.
 
In addition to the book, published in October 2024, Johnson is the author of numerous historical articles that have appeared in several NJ historical society magazines, as well as The New York Times, South Jersey Times, and American Baptist Quarterly. He also contributed to The Rutgers University Press books "The Governors of New Jersey, Biographical Essays" and "Black New Jersey: 1664 to the present day".
 
From Activism to Academia
Johnson's journey is as compelling as the stories he tells. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Johnson moved to Clayton, NJ (just south of Glassboro) in his late teens. While there he came to appreciate the "laid-back lifestyle" of many residents.

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His experiences as a merchant seaman, including a trip to Vietnam in 1967, further shaped his perspective.
 
He began writing after becoming an activist in the 1970s, but work - including a stint as an industrial laboratory technician - delayed his pursuit of higher until he turned 40.
 
At that point, he earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, followed by a BS in political science, and ultimately a master's and Ph.D. in history.  His doctorate, obtained in his 50s, marked a turning point, solidifying his path as a published writer for the past two decades. 
 
The Enduring Legacy of the River
Johnson's book is the culmination of decades of research, compiling the stories of various African Americans in the lower Delaware River Valley. He explains that understanding their impacts sheds light on Black voices in the pursuit of voting and women's suffrage rights, education, and religious expression. 
 
Four of the book's subjects were faith leaders, whose stories open discussions about early Black Baptists in Philadelphia and how church politics influenced community life, as well as the development of new churches.
 
In the book, Johnson examines the experience of Civil War widow Jane Barcus (Ezekiel) and the impact of her death on her children in the post-Civil War environment. He connects this historical example to the ongoing need to address the needs of vulnerable children, from racially segregated orphanages of the past to the challenges faced by children of migrant workers and undocumented families today.
 
He also highlights the self-preservation instincts of Black Americans and the vital role of the faith community in providing support, exemplified by the guardianship of Barcus' children by community leader William Corvey, who founded St. James AME Church in Millville.  He also connects this to the systemic gaps in academic achievement for students of color, a struggle that persists today.
 
The Delaware River also serves as a powerful symbol in Johnson's work. He notes that each of his subjects crossed and traveled the river, highlighting its role as "connective tissue" and the "rim around which people developed and lived their lives."
 
Johnson's choice of the lower Delaware Valley as a geographic region is significant. He highlights the complex political landscape of the area, with Pennsylvania as a free state, Delaware as a slave state, and New Jersey having "pro-southern political leanings." This environment heavily influenced the Underground Railroad.
 
It also was a semi-refuge space because, giving those on the Underground Railroad their first taste of freedom, even if they couldn't stay. For example, Johnson tells of Samuel Ringgold Ward's self-emancipated family, which came to Springtown, bear Bridgeton, NJ, in the early 1800s. But in 1826 they had to flee to New York after slave catchers raided their Cumberland County neighborhood.
 
The Civil War further connected the region, with Black soldiers from Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey training at Camp William Penn before fighting together in units like Hinck’s Brigade. These connections, forged in the fight for freedom, continued after the war, impacting the Great Migration as soldiers brought family and comrades north.
 
Camden's Black Oyster Workers: A Cultural Contribution
Beyond transportation, the Delaware River also served as an economic and cultural hub. By the late 1800s, the Delaware Bay became known as the oyster capital of the world, with millions of bushels of bivalves extracted every year. And in 1872, the Bridgeton and Port Norris Railroad was constructed, opening an avenue for those oysters to reach markets in New York City and beyond.
 
Among those involved in the oyster trade were a growing number of black workers, many of whom came from the Chesapeake Bay's Eastern Shore region, bringing aspects of their culture, cuisine and accent that can still be found in South Jersey. Among them was Margaret Wilson, who came to Cape May in the early 1870s and started churches in Shell Pile and Franklinville.
 
Johnson's goal for his readers is an appreciation for the significance of his subjects, both individually and collectively. He aims to represent underexplored avenues of African American history, emphasizing that history is ongoing and that the stories of historically marginalized people deserve to be told.
 
He stresses the need for more research and a deeper appreciation of how our society has evolved.  He particularly hopes to inspire younger generations to join this important work.

​You can learn more about the people, places and stories behind Johnson's ongoing work at a presentation on February 22 at 11:30 a.m. at the Franklin Township Public Library. Entitled "Charlotte Forten Comes to Franklinville," it will delve into the 1857 visit of Philadelphia-born poet-schoolteacher-activist Charlotte Forten, granddaughter of James Forten and a prominent educator during the antebellum and Reconstruction eras, to her family in Franklinville.