Tales of Early Black Soldiers to be Told in Morristown

Their tales are often untold—but not Monday, in Morristown.

"Free Blacks and Slaves in Morris and Bergen Counties During the 19th and 20th Centuries” will be presented at Willow Hall. It's the third talk in a series on the time period associated with this historic home, built in 1848 by George Vail, co-owner of Speedwell Iron Works.

Two speakers will address the crowd. The first is Arnold Brown, local historian, owner of Du Bois Bookstore in Englewood and co-organizer of Bergen County’s Juneteenth Festival. One hundred and ten men who lived in Bergen County or are buried in Bergen County volunteered to serve in the Navy, United States Colored Infantry, 29th Connecticut Colored Volunteer Infantry, and the United States Colored Heavy Artillery, organizers of the presentation said.  Brown will also speak of the Zabriskie Tenant House, currently threatened with demolition for development of new houses.

The second speaker is Joseph G. Bilby, a Civil War reenactor, who will talk of the deeds of the Black New Jersey Civil War soldiers.  He is the author of "Freedom to All," about  New Jersey’s black Civil War soldiers. By his count, 3,271 black soldiers from New Jersey fought for the Union from 1863 to 1865—far more than the War Department noted.

The talk is Monday, June 27, 10 a.m at Willow Hall, 330 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown.