From the Archives: Black History Month

A crowd of approximately 4,000 gathered on the steps of the Essex County Courthouse in Newark for a peaceful fundraising rally on behalf of civil rights efforts in Mississippi. The Mississippi Freedom Project was dedicated to registering Black voters in Mississippi, who had largely been prevented from voting due to barriers in voter registration, and was a catalyst for the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Three Benedictine sisters from St. Mary’s Convent in Newark can be seen attending the rally near the center of the crowd.

(Photographer: Archdiocese of Newark Archives, Catholic Advocate collection)  

Editor’s note: All published archival photos can be found under the “From the Archives” tab in the top menu. For more information on the archdiocesan archives, visit rcan.org/archives.