Whatever is said, or thought, about the separation of church and state in the U.S., there is no denying the presence of organized religion throughout our country's history. The actions, inactions, perspectives and demands of church leaders and congregations are woven into our laws and culture. This week's articles offer a sense of the different ways that religion and the religious interact with history.

CHURCH AND STATE

How The Catholic Church Profited From Slavery | NPR

The mystery behind the unmarked graves of enslaved New Jerseyans | NJ.com

Mother Mary Lange, Founder of First African-American Religious Congregation, Declared Venerable | National Catholic Register

UPCOMING EVENTS

On July 16, 2023 at 2:00 p.m., the Trent House Association will present a talk by Shawn Carney and Michael Daubert on what can be learned from newspaper advertisements for the return of enslaved people who escaped from slavery. The talk will be given in the Trent House Visitor Center at 15 Market Street, Trenton, across from the Hughes Justice Complex. This is a free program, but pre-registration is encouraged at https://tinyurl.com/TalkJuly16.

Plenty of free parking is available at the rear of the Museum property. Click here to view/download the press release about this program.