Overview

The Middle Passage Port Marker in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, commemorates the city’s significant yet somber role in the trans-Atlantic human trade during the colonial era. Positioned at the Historic Ferry Slip, this marker serves as a tribute to the thousands of enslaved Africans who disembarked at this site, a key maritime port in Eastern New Jersey.

Location

The Middle Passage Port Marker is located at the Historic Ferry Slip, 300 Front Street, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861. This site holds deep historical significance, as it was the principal port in Eastern New Jersey during the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Historical Significance

Perth Amboy was the colonial capital of East Jersey and a critical arrival location for ships engaged in the trans-Atlantic human trade. Due to New Jersey’s lack of tariffs on the importation of enslaved Africans, many traders chose this port to unload their human cargo, supplying buyers across New Jersey and other colonies. The port saw numerous slave ships, including the Catherine, William, Africa, and Sally, arrive with hundreds of captives. The Catherine alone brought 240 enslaved individuals in a single voyage, of whom only 130 survived the harrowing journey.

In 1790, New Jersey’s enslaved African population numbered 11,423. Although New Jersey was the last Northern state to adopt gradual emancipation in 1804, slavery persisted until the ratification of the 13th Amendment in 1865. By the mid-19th century, Perth Amboy’s Eagleswood section became a key station on the Underground Railroad, further embedding the city’s role in the long struggle for freedom.

In 2019, Perth Amboy was recognized as a “Site of Memory” by the UNESCO Slave Route Project, acknowledging the city’s historical importance in the global narrative of slavery.

The Middle Passage

The Middle Passage refers to the brutal journey endured by millions of Africans who were forcibly transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. Approximately 24 million children, women, and men were captured in Africa, with half perishing on the march to coastal prisons or within the prisons themselves. Those who survived were packed tightly into the cargo holds of ships under deplorable conditions, leading to the deaths of 2 million people from disease, malnutrition, abuse, and suicide during the voyage.

The Ceremony

The Middle Passage Port Marker was unveiled in a ceremony held on Wednesday, September 29th, 2021. The event included prayers of remembrance, historical reflections, and the symbolic tossing of carnations into the Raritan Bay. The event featured remarks from several distinguished individuals:

• Victor Marshall: Founder of the Marshall Hand and Drum Ensemble, who led the musical tributes.
• Carole Dortch-Wright: Master of Ceremonies, who delivered the opening remarks and guided the program.
• Cliff Matias: Executive Director of the Redhawk Native American Arts Council, who performed the invocation and land acknowledgment.
• John Dyke: Perth Amboy City Historian, who provided historical context and reflections on the city's past.
• Dr. Stephanie James Harris: Executive Director of the New Jersey Amistad Commission, who spoke on the importance of African American history in education.
• Ann Chinn: Founder and Board Chair of the Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project, who provided insights into the significance of the marker.
• Senator Cory Booker: Honorable Senator of New Jersey, who delivered a keynote address.
• Assemblywoman Shavonda E. Sumter: NJ Legislative Black Caucus Chair, who offered remarks on the ongoing struggle for justice.
• Mayor Helmin J. Caba: Mayor of Perth Amboy, who emphasized the importance of recognizing the contributions of African ancestors in shaping Perth Amboy. He highlighted the significance of the marker in educating the community and promoting inclusivity. Mayor Caba also extended gratitude to key individuals, including Patricia Perkins and Daniel Cleaver, for their roles in initiating and coordinating the project, and he thanked the committee and all involved in the ceremony.
• Rev. Dr. Forrest Pritchett: Senior Advisor to the Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Seton Hall University, who provided closing reflections.
• Noelle Lorraine Williams: Director of the African American History Program at the New Jersey Historical Commission, who spoke on the historical context and the significance of the marker.

Following the speeches, Mrs. Anna Daily of the Historic Preservation Commission and Mrs. Mary Gordon, a lifelong resident of Perth Amboy, unveiled the marker. The ceremony concluded with a moment of silence and the singing of "Amazing Grace," led by Carole Dortch-Wright, followed by a procession to the Ferry Slip for the tossing of carnations into the Raritan Bay in memory of those who perished during the Middle Passage.

Program

Middle Passage Port Marker Unveil and Ceremony Program

Date: Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Time: 10:00AM-12:00PM

Location: Perth Amboy Harborside Marina, 300 Front Street, Perth Amboy

• Hand and Drum Ensemble: Victor Marshall, Director of Marshall Hand and Drum Ensemble
• Mistress of Ceremonies: Carole Dortch-Wright, The Citizens Campaign
• Invocation and Land Acknowledgment: Cliff Matias, Executive Director, Redhawk Native American Arts Council
• Prayers on Unity: Perth Amboy Police and Fire Chaplain Corps, Pastor Amos Dickerson and Pastor Carlos Flores
• Perth Amboy History: John Dyke, City of Perth Amboy Historian
• Libation Ceremony: To honor African ancestors who experienced the Middle Passage, led by Victor Marshall
• Reading the Names of the 54 African Nations: To honor the 12 million who died during the Middle Passage, led by Dr. Stephanie James Harris, Executive Director, Amistad Commission, New Jersey Department of Education
• Placing Carnations Representing the 54 Nations in a Basket During the Ceremony: Students of Perth Amboy High School's Advanced Placement World History Class
• Remarks:
  • Helmin J. Caba, Honorable Mayor, City of Perth Amboy
  • Ann Chinn, Board Chair, Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project
  • Assemblywoman Shavonda E. Sumter, New Jersey Legislature, District 35 and Chair of New Jersey’s Legislative Black Caucus
  • Noelle Lorraine Williams, Director, African American History Program/New Jersey Historical Commission
  • Rev Dr. Forrest Pritchett, Senior Adviser to Provost on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Presidents Hall
• Port Marker Unveiling: Anna Wilkins Daily, Perth Amboy Historic Preservation Commission and Mary Gordon, Resident of Perth Amboy
• Singing of Amazing Grace: Carole Dortch-Wright
• Releasing Tribute: White carnations placed in the water to honor those who died during the Middle Passage, led by Students and Attendees

Media Advisory

What: State, County, and City government officials and residents will attend the City of Perth Amboy's historic Middle Passage port marker unveiling on Front Street in Perth Amboy. The historic port marker highlights Perth Amboy's role in the trans-Atlantic human trade, the forced transporting of approximately 12 million captive Africans across the Atlantic Ocean from the African Continent to the Americas. The event will also include a remembrance ceremony to commemorate those who perished and those who survived the Middle Passage.

Where: City of Perth Amboy Marina Parking Lot located on 300 Front Street, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861, next to the Perth Amboy Historic Ferry Slip.

When: Wednesday, September 29, 2021, 10:00AM

Arrival: 9:30AM

Ceremony and Unveil: 10:00AM-12PM

Light refreshments: 12:00PM

Who: Featured guests include:

• Carole Dortch-Wright, Citizens Campaign
• Cliff Matias, Executive Director, Redhawk Native American Arts Council
• Perth Amboy Police and Fire Chaplain Corps
• John Dyke, City of Perth Amboy Historian
• Victor Marshall, Director, Marshall Hand & Drum Ensemble
• Stephanie James Harris PhD., Executive Director, Amistad Commission, New Jersey Department of Education
• Students of Perth Amboy High School's Advanced Placement History
• Helmin J. Caba, Honorable Mayor, City of Perth Amboy
• Ann Chinn, Board Chair, Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project
• Cory A. Booker, United States Senator, New Jersey
• Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez, New Jersey Legislature, District 19
• Assemblywoman Shavonda E. Sumter, New Jersey Legislature, District 35 and Chair of New Jersey’s Legislative Black Caucus
• Noelle Lorraine Williams, Director, African American History Program/New Jersey Historical Commission

Why: The community is invited to commemorate the dedication of the City of Perth Amboy's newest historical marker, on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 at 10AM at the Perth Amboy Harborside Marina. Perth Amboy is one of 55 documented U.S. Middle Passage arrival sites. With this ceremony and marker, the State of New Jersey will have publicly acknowledged all of its documented Middle Passage arrival locations. The historical marker was made possible by a partnership with the Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project, Inc., Camden County Historical Society, Department of Education's Amistad Commission, Perth Amboy's City Historian, Historic Preservation Commission, the Office of the Mayor Helmin J. Caba, and Department of Public Works.