We are excited to share with you a new cultural project that will capture the story of how Morristown has benefited from its rich heritage of people from diverse backgrounds.
Often noted for its role in the American Revolution, Morristown has also stood out in the State of New Jersey, and, indeed throughout the nation, for another reason: the contributions and attainments of people of color who lived and worked in our town from the 18th century to the present.
· Did you know that during the Emancipation period, Frederick Douglas gave a speech on the Morristown Green decrying the evils of slavery?
· Did you know that Dr. Evelyn Lewis graduated from integrated Morristown High School circa 1919 and went on to Howard University Medical School, later becoming the House Doctor at Provident Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland?
· Did you know that in 1992 Lanny Smoot, an African American, was the Director of Multi-Media Communications at Bellcore Labs in Morris Township where he was the architect of the revolutionary technology allowing video-demand signals to be transmitted over telephone lines?
· Did you know that in 2016, the New York Times referred to the Morris School District as a “national model of diversity and inclusion”? That report attributed the success of the school district to an NJ Supreme Court decision rendered in 1971. However, the path to that decision started in the early 1960s, as a result of the political and social involvement of many citizens of color, both men and women.
We have enlisted the services of a renowned documentary filmmaker. Edward J. Harris, II, who produced award-winning films on Babe Ruth [“Universal Babe”], the 2004 Democratic primaries [“Slap the Donkey”], and historic African-American economic centers [“The Lessons of Hayti”]. Mr. Harris is creating a two-part doc-u-series that looks at Morristown through the eyes of people of color.
The project includes researching town records and archives, libraries, and private collections, as well as capturing first-hand accounts from the recollections of our eldest citizens.
Once complete, we plan to use this documentary to educate and inspire future generations through school programs and other non-profit organizations.
Sincerely,
Michelle Dupree Harris, Retired Morris School District Teacher / Politician