Community Gathers at Lawrenceville to Celebrate Lawrence Township’s First Black Community

More than 200 local residents gathered in The Lawrenceville School’s Kirby Arts Center on Saturday for the Lewisville Road Symposium, an event Rev. Dr. Charles F. Boyer (quoting historian Brooke Hunter), described as a chance to “remember a community small in size, but rich in history.” Boyer, pastor of the Greater Mt. Zion AME Church of Trenton (N.J.), delivered a rousing keynote address at the event, dedicated to the history of Lawrence Township’s first African American community.

The symposium was sponsored by the Lawrence Historical Society, Lawrence Neighbors Together, The Lawrenceville School, Lawrence Township Public Schools, and the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville. It grew from efforts to create a historic marker commemorating the former site of the Mount Pisgah AME Church, which “formed the center of Black community life for over a century,” as the plaque notes.

Among the featured speakers were Lawrence Historical Society President Joe Ciccone, Lawrence Township Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Neel Desai, Lawrenceville School Director of Community Service Elizabeth Ferguson Lawrence Township Mayor Patricia Hendricks Farmer, N.J. Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (District 15), Lawrenceville Interim Dean of Faculty Bernadette Teeley, and Lawrence Township High School Assistant Principal Clifford Williams. The Lawrence Township High School gospel choir performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “We Sing Praises to the King.”

Lewisville Road, which borders the southern part of The Lawrenceville School’s campus, was named for Lewis W.R. Phillips. Once a slaveholder, Phillips later joined the anti-slavery movement and sold land that ultimately became Lewisville Road to free Black families in the 1840s. Nearly two centuries and seven generations later, many of their descendants still call Lewisville Road home.

That legacy was brought to life in a panel discussion moderated by Isabella Spencer ’26 and Lawrence High School student Caitlyn Grimes, featuring descendants of original Lewisville Road inhabitants members Billy Chester, Glen Nevius, Pamela Stigars-Thomas, and Jade Thomas. Together, they shared stories of family history, resilience, and the enduring spirit of the Lewisville Road community.

Chester, a former Lawrence Township police officer, recalled growing up on Lewisville Road with great fondness. “You learned how to respect yourself and every adult – [residents] had a tight association and the best life that anyone could have,” he said.

Stigars-Thomas noted that residents “were taught strong family bonds, faith and spirituality, and the resilience to withstand hardships.” One of those hardships was the lack of a bus, which necessitated a long walk to school along busy roads. “It turned out to be the best thing that happened to us,” she said. Students ended up cutting across The Lawrenceville School campus, where they were welcomed after their classes into the field house for gymnastics, swimming, ice skating, and track. “We had a great time. I’m thankful for the school and to those who let us stay and play every day,” she said.

In her closing remarks, Teeley expressed gratitude on behalf of The Lawrenceville School “to be a part of the continued exploration of this important history. . . . Our work here today with all of you – our neighbors, colleagues, and friends – is integral to a richer and more full understanding of this history and how we engage with it as a learning community.”

She added that events like the symposium align with Lawrenceville’s mission. “We teach students how to critically engage with history, and with one another. This deepens their understanding of the past while strengthening their ability to lead in the future. Our communities are stronger when we work together, stronger when we take the time to understand one another, and stronger when we can examine the past to help create a better future.”

See more photos from the event on Lawrenceville's Flickr page. 

Read more in the Centraljersey.com story, "Panelists share life on Lewisville Road" by Lea Kahn. 

For more information, contact Lisa M. Gillard H'17, director of public relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.