Stay: The Black Women of 19th‑Century Newark

Black women in America have worked tirelessly for centuries to wrestle control of their bodies and their lives away from others.

These three Newark women–Sara O’Fake Evans, Ellen King, and Hannah Mandeville–were as respected in Newark’s Black community as the Ballantines were in theirs. They lived only blocks away from The Ballantine House. Descendants of community activists, freedom seekers, and abolitionists, they were artists, teachers, businesswomen, and homeowners.

These leaders have been pushed out of historical narratives—until now. They changed their lives in the face of misogyny, racism, and worker discrimination, and their stories illuminate our centuries-long struggle. Even today, Black women continue to fight and thrive in Newark.

– Noelle Lorraine Williams, Black Power! 19th Century