Podcast Summary

All Of It — Artist and Historian Noelle Williams on Her Mission to Preserve Early Black History in New Jersey

Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Guest: Noelle Lorraine Williams, Artist, Historian, Curator
Date: October 16, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Alison Stewart interviews Noelle Lorraine Williams, the curator of the Newark Museum of Art’s exhibition, "Stay: The Black Women of 19th Century Newark." Williams is a New Jersey-based artist and historian, directing African American History and the Black Heritage Trail for the NJ State Historical Commission. They discuss the little-known histories of three prominent 19th-century African American women—Sarah Ofake Evans, Ellen King, and Hannah Mandeville—whose lives reflect resilience, activism, and community-building against the hostile backdrop of northern racial oppression. Williams shares her research journey, the exhibit's immersive storytelling, and the ongoing relevance of these histories.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Research Journey: Uncovering Forgotten Histories

[01:28]

• Williams describes her early fascination with Black activism and how, during graduate school, she was drawn to 19th-century African American histories in Northern cities:
  • "I just couldn't believe I didn't learn more about these stories when I was younger.” – Noelle Williams [01:32]
• Comparing Newark’s overlooked narrative to well-known sites like Seneca Village and Black Gotham in Manhattan, she asks, “What is Newark’s story?” [01:48]

Black Life in 19th Century Newark

[02:17]

• Williams depicts a dynamic, varied Black community: wealthy families, freed slaves, working-class individuals—all engaged in building churches, communities, fighting for voting rights, and opposing slavery:
  • "They're doing all of these things, making communities... black activism in the 1960s, and yo, it's happening here in the 1830s." [03:12]
• The conversation draws parallels between the activism of the 1860s and 1960s.

Surprising Discoveries and Unseen Legacies

[03:35]

• Williams shares a powerful moment in her research: discovering that places like Rutgers fields were once epicenters for Black community life, churches, and activism:
  • “There was once a black church here.” [03:56]
  • “They did poetry, like spoken word in the 1860s.” [04:17]
• She reveals that luminaries like Frederick Douglass once spoke in Newark, drawing a line from past to present.

The Ballantine House and Expanding Histories

[05:15]

• The Ballantine House, a former Gilded Age mansion and current museum landmark, hosts the exhibit.
• Williams stresses the exhibition is unique in focusing on community women who lived near—not worked for—the Ballantine family: “These are the black community that lived around the house... the middle class comparison of the Ballantines.” [06:15]

Spotlight on Three Women

Sarah Ofake Evans and the Ofake Family

[06:41]

• The Ofakes were a prominent Black middle-class family, likely descended from enslaved people brought from Barbados.
• Peter Ofake, Sarah’s father, was a musician and teacher deeply involved in both Black and white Newarker’s lives; he helped sustain St. Philip’s Church:
  • "You have these folks who are creating, taking stake in this life... helping us sustain St. Philip's Church." [08:09]
• Sarah’s mother’s diaries revealed active community care and Underground Railroad involvement; their story shows the interconnectedness and activism of Newark’s Black middle-class families.
• Quote: “When we think about these black churches, these are our first black political centers.” [08:28]

Hannah Mandeville: Resilience and Displacement

[10:50]

• Born enslaved in Jersey City, freed as a young woman under NJ law, she married and settled in Newark near today’s Rutgers.
• Mandeville was a community leader, fundraiser, and women’s group organizer. In her 90s, she resisted displacement from her home—a story Williams connects to ongoing struggles:
  • “She was dragged out by a realtor, literally… she stayed there in a chair. The same avenue where students walk every day.” [11:52]
• Williams designed the exhibit to convey this resilience, using silhouettes and music—specifically a violin rendition of “I Will Survive” by Newark-born Gloria Gaynor—to symbolize enduring strength.
  • “What does it mean for Newark's resilience to be transplanted around the world and for people to find power in the story?” [13:08]

Ellen King and the Underground Railroad Legacy

[14:14]

• Daughter of Jacob King, treasurer for the local Underground Railroad Society; Ellen herself was a teacher, equated with activism:
  • “Teaching as activism because writing and reading was autonomy. It was activism.” [14:28]
• King’s return to Newark after teaching in North Carolina exemplifies the tradition of Black women as pillars of community progress and self-determination.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “There were enslaved women who lived in Jersey City who became free, moved over here and continued to try to help the community... people like Frederick Douglass come out and speak.” – Noelle Williams [03:57]
• “I'm always very clear... these are the black community that lived around the house. So they walk the same streets as the Ballantine, but they are the middle class comparison of the Ballantines.” – Noelle Williams [06:15]
• "When we think about these black churches, these are our first black political centers. This is where folks are doing fundraising, feeding folks, sheltering folks on the underground railroad." – Noelle Williams [08:28]
• “She lived in this house on the field for 60 years. And then when she was in her 90s, she was dragged out by a realtor, literally. She wouldn’t leave the house... Even in her 90s, she was still fighting for her own rights.” – Noelle Williams [11:52]
• “Teaching as activism because writing and reading was autonomy. It was activism.” – Noelle Williams [14:28]
• “Each day you have the opportunity to make a decision and take action in your life, to express yourself, to join with others, to build your community and to learn more... there’s always so much more to learn.” – Noelle Williams [15:59]

Important Segments and Timestamps

• [01:28] Noelle Williams on her research journey and fascination with 19th-century Black activism in the North
• [02:17] Description of Black Newark’s dynamic, multi-class community
• [03:35] Memorable research discoveries—the lost Black churches and activists
• [05:15] The Ballantine House and its significance
• [06:41] The Ofake family and Black middle-class life
• [10:50] Hannah Mandeville’s biography and fight for her home
• [13:08] Creating the exhibit’s experiential atmosphere
• [14:14] Ellen King’s legacy as a teacher and activist
• [15:59] Closing inspiration: learning, community, and ongoing action

Episode Takeaways

• The exhibit and Williams’ work challenge assumptions about Black life and activism in the North, revealing an extensive tradition of resistance, leadership, and community-building.
• The personal stories of Evans, King, and Mandeville offer a nuanced, humanizing look at the period—centering Black women’s agency and resilience.
• Williams invites listeners to connect with Newark’s overlooked histories, emphasizing their lasting relevance and the power of everyday decisions to build community and claim autonomy.

Further Engagement

• Exhibit: "Stay: The Black Women of 19th Century Newark" at the Newark Museum of Art (through 2028)
• See the work of Noelle Lorraine Williams and the Black Heritage Trail for more local history and upcoming projects.