In honor of Black History Month, the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners, in partnership with New Jersey Public Television, will schedule a screening of the locally produced documentary “The Price of Silence” followed by a panel discussion.
The screening will be held on Tuesday, February 27th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Nonprofit People Care Center, 120 Findern Avenue, Bridgewater.
“The Price of Silence” depicts the forgotten stories of New Jersey's enslaved people and is a New Jersey co-founder of the Stoutsburg-Sourland African American Museum in Montgomery Township, Somerset County. Central residents Beverly Mills and Elaine Buck will be featured.
“New Jersey is known as the Garden State,” author Beverly Mills says in the two-part documentary. “We're known for our blueberries. We're known for our corn. We're known for our peaches. But we're not known for the slaves who tilled the soil here. New Jersey. We don't know much about the entire history of slavery as it relates to the state and how slavery supported much of New Jersey's wealth.”
Mills and museum co-founders Elaine Buck and Crystal Langford will be interviewed on a panel moderated by filmmaker Ridgely Hutchinson immediately after the documentary screening.
“This documentary helps raise awareness about the history of slavery and its impact on the lives of people of color, and its legacy that continues to this day,” said Somerset County Commissioner Shanelle Y. Robinson. Stated.
“Educating people about this dark period in history allows us to better understand the struggles and challenges Black people face today.”
This screening was organized by the Employee Resource Group (ERG) within Somerset County Government with funding from the Somerset County Heritage Commission.
The screening is part 1. The price of silence, the forgotten stories of New Jersey's enslaved people And part 2: The Price of Silence, the Lasting Impact of Slavery in New Jersey.
The film screening and panel discussion are free, but seating is limited and advance registration is required. Please register online here.
Somerset County provides a comprehensive list of Black History Month events held in the county in February on its website.
