Montclair History Center

05/28/2026

The Montclair History Center is thrilled to announce that Executive Director Angelica Diggs has been accepted as one of nineteen fellows from across the country to participate in the American Association for State and Local History’s History Leadership Institute Seminar.

For more than six decades, the History Leadership Institute has helped strengthen the leadership capacity of the history field by bringing together practitioners from museums, historical societies, historic sites, and related organizations across the country.

This year’s cohort will gather for an intensive two-week seminar in June led by HLI Seminar director Andrea Jones and hosted by the Minnesota Historical Society. Fellows will explore major issues facing history organizations today, build relationships with peers from across the field, and develop the skills, perspective, and confidence needed to lead in a rapidly changing environment.

This opportunity is possible with the support of generous donations to the Making History Matter Campaign, Denny O’Toole Scholarship, and Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko Scholarship.

Learn more about the program online here and meet the other fellows at https://aaslh.org/meet-the-2026-history-leadership-institute-seminar-fellows/.

05/27/2026

Join us this upcoming Saturday for our Historic Pine Street walking tour! We’ll explore its architectural gems, uncover fascinating historical facts, and share lively anecdotes. Contributions from residents and those familiar with the area are warmly welcomed! This historic district tells the rich story of Montclair’s Italian immigrant community, its residents, and local businesses. The tour includes a special treat from Nicolo’s Bakery and a coffee tasting at Java Love. Led by Director Angelica Diggs and Board of Trustee Donato DiGeronimo. Total walking distance is approximately 1 mile.

Tickets are $20/person. $15/person for Members (contact our office for the coupon code) Tickets are required in advance. Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/historic-pine-street-waking-tour-may-16th-at-11-am

05/27/2026

Don’t miss this historic garden in peak bloom!

Today’s starts the beginning of Peak Week! The rain is finally gone and the flowers look gorgeous!
The Bloom room is open today thru Sunday 12-4pm.
This Iris is Deep Dark Secret.

05/26/2026

Did you know? On today's date in 1776, New Jersey's first state constitution began the drafting process in Burlington! Ending July 2nd, this first constitution was intended to be temporary but ended up lasting until 1844. It is the foundational document of our state's government. Early lawmakers and Patriots recognized a new governmental document was needed to guide the state government and prevent anarchy. The relatively short session to write the Constitution was a result of this need for immediate action.

This first NJ constitution was the only state constitution that allowed women, immigrants, and Black people to vote. Specifically, it stated "all inhabitants of this Colony, of full age, who are worth fifty pounds proclamation money, clear estate in the same, and have resided within the county in which they claim a vote for twelve months immediately preceding the election, shall be entitled to vote for Representatives in Council and Assembly; and also for all other public officers, that shall be elected by the people of the county at large." The use of the term individuals was gender and race neutral. Legally, this meant the only restrictions on voting were to own property. Even unmarried women could vote.

Most historians agree that this was deliberate and the draftees purposely intended for Black people and women to receive the right to vote. They also argue that women's suffrage specifically was a result of NJ women contributing to the Revolutionary War effort. New Jersey's 1797 voting law used "he or she," enshrining the right for women to vote in state elections.

In 1807, the state legislature flat-out ignored the Constitution and declared only white male taxpayers could vote in elections. This was feasible because no other state had followed New Jersey's progressive policy; there was no nationwide outcry. The now extinct Democratic-Republican party wanted to unify its factions for 1808 federal presidential election. One faction wanted to deny the right to vote to immigrants and the poor; women as a demographic also tended to vote for the Federalist party. This also coincided with the nationwide push for women to be "in the home."

Read the original 1776 New Jersey constitution here: https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/nj15.asp

Pictured: William Paterson, Founding Father from New Jersey and Secretary of the original 1776 convention to write the NJ Constitution.

05/24/2026

Today is Aviation Maintenance Technician Day! Originally created to commemorate the life of Charles Edward Taylor, the builder of the engine in the Wright Brother's first plane, it is the perfect day to talk about NJ's aviation history! Here are a few dates and events special to New Jersey.

January 9, 1793: Jean Pierre Blanchard, of France, conducts the 1st balloon flight in New Jersey, taking off in Philadelphia and landing in Deptford Township on the other side of the Delaware River.

March, 1910: Local businessmen and aviation enthusiasts in Atlantic City form the Aero Club of Atlantic City. Their landing strip is at Bader Field. The next July, pioneer of aviation Glenn H. Curtiss takes off and conducts the first flight over open ocean.

September 24th, 1929: Army Lieutenant "Jimmy" Doolittle conducts a 15 minute flight only using radio guidance and instrument navigation, NOT looking out the cockpit. This proved the usability of safety features and navigation technologies foundational to air travel today.

May 6th, 1937: The Hindenburg, the world's largest airship, while serving as a vehicle to distribute N**i propaganda explodes into flames while docking at Naval Air Station Lakehurst. It was the last of the great airship disasters, shattered confidence in airships as a mode of transport, and produced now-iconic newsreel footage.

1943: The Reaction Motors XLR11, the first liquid-propellant rocket used in United States aircraft, begins development in New Jersey. It is first tested in Pompton Lakes. It was used in the Bell X-1 aircraft, the first powered flight to exceed the speed of sound.

What are aviation milestones in New Jersey do you remember?

Pictured: The Aviation Hall of Fame & Museum of New Jersey at Teterboro Airport. Check them out here: http://www.njahof.org/

05/23/2026

Through the end of May and into June, find the Montclair History Center at your favorite Montclair events! We'll have a table at each one, featuring giveaways, raffles, and fun free prizes! Take the opportunity to try some fun New Jersey and Montclair historical trivia, and spin our prize wheel. See you there!

05/22/2026

Amazing screening of “Where She Once Stood” by The Moving Architects — an original modern dance performance filmed in the Crane House and Historic YWCA. Enjoying the after-film panel discussion with all involved!

Many thanks to New Jersey Council for the Humanities and Essex County Division of Cultural Affairs for the financial support.

05/21/2026

Miss the chance to see our last Everyone Has A Story presentation? Well, now you can see it on YouTube!

Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apUIrzrh5J8&t=230s

05/19/2026

Join us this Thursday, May 21st at 7pm as we and the Moving Architects invite you to a special dance film event screening of Where She Once Stood: The Women of the Crane House & Historic YWCA Alive Through Dance. Created in partnership with the Montclair History Center, the work transforms the Crane House & Historic YWCA into a living historical site where movement and music make visible women's lives including that of the Crane family, the enslaved women and domestic workers who were part of the household, and the Black women, girls, and boarders connected to the building during its time as a segregated YWCA.

Originally presented as a live, site-immersive dance performance on site with eight sold-out shows, the project is now translated to film. The film experience brings the work into focus in new ways, with the evening event including a short live dance performance, the screening, and a panel discussion that offers insight into the creative process and the documented history behind the site. The panel includes Erin Carlisle Norton (The Moving Architects), Angelica Diggs (Montclair History Center), and artists from the project. The evening concludes with a reception to continue the conversation.

Register here: https://www.viewcy.com/event/where_she_once_stood_1

Not available in-person? You can also participate virtually via Zoom. Join us!

Questions? [email protected]

The event includes a short live dance performance, film screening (35-minutes), panel discussion, and reception. Tickets: $20. To request specific accommodations, please contact TMA 2 weeks prior to performance.

05/18/2026

Join us for a walking tour of the Pine Street neighborhood, where we’ll explore its architectural gems, uncover fascinating historical facts, and share lively anecdotes—contributions from those familiar with the area are warmly welcomed. This historic district tells the rich story of Montclair’s Italian immigrant community, its residents, and local businesses and includes a special treat from Nicolo’s Bakery! This tour is led by Director Angelica Diggs and Board of Trustee Donato DiGeronimo. Total walking distance is approximately 1 mile.

Tickets are $20/person. $15/person for Members (contact our office for the coupon code!). Tickets are required in advance. Tickets are available here: https://events.humanitix.com/historic-pine-street-waking-tour-may-16th-at-11-am