|
Mayor's Message:
Celebrating Black History Month
| |
Dear Jazz,
As we have grown from unknowledgeable children to educated adults, we have grown our recognition and participation of Black History Month. You may remember reading picture books highlighting the accomplishments of Black leaders in elementary school, learning the Black National Anthem in middle school, listening attentively to Black history related lectures in college, attending Black community focused events in your city with your children, or eagerly anticipating the latest movie about a Black historical figure. Regardless of how we did it, we have taken the time to honor and remember Black history. But have you ever taken the time to learn about the origins of Black History Month?
The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) – founded by historian Carter G. Woodson knows as the ‘Father of Black History’ - sponsored a national ‘Negro History Week’ for the very first time in 1926. They specifically chose to host it during the second week of February because it coincided with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglass. This inspired schools and communities across our nation to organize celebrations in recognition of all that Black Americans had experienced and contributed. Mayors of cities across the country then began issuing proclamations to recognize ‘Negro History Week’ and by the late 1960s, following the civil rights movement and a growing awareness of Black identity, it began being celebrated as Black History Month on college campuses.
Black History Month was officially recognized in 1976 by President Gerald Ford. President Ford called for the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
Since 1928, the ASALH has endorsed a specific theme for Black History Month each year. This years’ theme, Black Resistance, focuses on how “African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms, and police killings.” Regardless of the hatred, violence, and injustices faced by Black Americans throughout history, they have thrived. Black Americans are lawyer, doctors, legislators, educators, business owners, and much more. They have gone from suffering in chains to owning successful corporations – much of it due to the community’s own fight against oppression through activism, advocacy, and support for Black owned businesses and establishments. Even the creation of Black History Month is a result of Black perseverance. This is what Black History Month was created to do – to remind us of what is possible in the face of incredible obstacles. And yet, there is still so much work to do.
This country was built on the idea that all men are created equal – but this was not originally extended to the Black people that were enslaved and brutalized. Since the days of enslavement, Black people in this country have pushed against violent bigotry and hatred to create a better future for themselves, their children, and their community. With time, determination, strength, and education, we can create an America that lives up higher than the standard our founding fathers set for it.
As we celebrate Black History Month, let’s not forget that every day is an opportunity to make true and rewrite the original promise of this country: that all people are created equal regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion.
#LovePlainfield #AmoPlainfield
Creating One Plainfield. One Future.
| | |
|
Mayor Adrian O. Mapp
City of Plainfield
| |
|
Mensaje Del Alcalde:
Celebrando El Mes De
La Historia Negra
| |
|
Queridx Jazz,
A medida que hemos pasado de ser niños sin conocimiento a adultos educados, hemos aumentado nuestro reconocimiento y participación en el Mes de la Historia Negra. Es posible que recuerde haber leído libros ilustrados que destacan los logros de los líderes negros en la escuela primaria, aprender el Himno Nacional Negro en la escuela secundaria, escuchar atentamente conferencias relacionadas con la historia negra en la universidad, asistir a eventos centrados en la comunidad negra en su ciudad con sus hijos, o anticipar ansiosamente la última película sobre una figura histórica negra. Independientemente de cómo lo hicimos, nos hemos tomado el tiempo para honrar y recordar la historia negra. Pero, ¿alguna vez te has tomado el tiempo para aprender sobre los orígenes del Mes de la Historia Negra?
La Asociación para el Estudio de la Vida e Historia Afroamericana (ASALH) - fundada por el historiador Carter G. Woodson conocido como el "Padre de la Historia Negra" - patrocinó una "Semana de la Historia Negra" nacional por primera vez en 1926. Eligieron específicamente organizarlo durante la segunda semana de febrero porque coincidió con los cumpleaños de Abraham Lincoln y Fredrick Douglass. Esto inspiró a las escuelas y comunidades de todo nuestro país a organizar celebraciones en reconocimiento de todo lo que los afroamericanos habían vivido y contribuido. Los alcaldes de ciudades de todo el país comenzaron a emitir proclamas para reconocer la "Semana de la Historia Negra" y a fines de la década de 1960, siguiendo el movimiento de derechos civiles y una creciente conciencia de la identidad negra, comenzó a celebrarse como el Mes de la Historia Negra en las universidades.
El Mes de la Historia Negra fue reconocido oficialmente en 1976 por el presidente Gerald Ford. El presidente Ford pidió al público que "aproveche la oportunidad para honrar los logros de los estadounidenses negros en todas las áreas de esfuerzo a lo largo de nuestra historia".
Desde 1928, la ASALH ha respaldado un tema específico para el Mes de la Historia Negra cada año. El tema de este año, Black Resistance, se centra en cómo "los afroamericanos han resistido la opresión histórica y continua, en todas sus formas, especialmente el terrorismo racial de linchamientos, pogromos raciales y asesinatos policiales". Independientemente del odio, la violencia y las injusticias que enfrentan los estadounidenses negros a lo largo de la historia, han prosperado. Los estadounidenses negros son abogados, médicos, legisladores, educadores, dueños de negocios y mucho más. Han pasado de sufrir en cadenas a poseer corporaciones exitosas, en gran parte debido a la propia lucha de la comunidad contra la opresión a través del activismo, la defensa y el apoyo a las empresas y establecimientos propiedad de personas negras. Incluso la creación del Mes de la Historia Negra es el resultado de la perseverancia negra. Esto es para lo que se creó el Mes de la Historia Negra: para recordarnos lo que es posible frente a obstáculos increíbles. Y, sin embargo, todavía hay mucho trabajo por hacer.
Este país fue construido sobre la idea de que todos los hombres son creados iguales, pero esto no se extendió originalmente a las personas negras que fueron esclavizados y brutalizados. Desde los días de la esclavitud, las personas negras en este país han presionado contra la intolerancia violenta y el odio para crear un futuro mejor para ellos, sus hijos, y su comunidad. Con tiempo, determinación, fortaleza, y educación, podemos crear un Estados Unidos que esté a la altura del estándar que nuestros padres fundadores establecieron para nosotros.
Al celebrar el Mes de la Historia Negra, no olvidemos que cada día es una oportunidad para hacer realidad y reescribir la promesa original de este país: que todas las personas son creadas iguales independientemente de su raza, género, orientación sexual o religión.
#LovePlainfield #AmoPlainfield.
Creando Un Plainfield. Un Futuro.
|  | |
|
Alcalde Adrian O. Mapp
Ciudad de Plainfield
| |
Mayor Mapp Featured on ROI Influencers: Power List | |
Congratulations to Mayor Mapp who was listed on ROI Influencers: Power List 2023. Mayor Mapp was recognized as a government official who "continues to show what can happen when a mayor puts people first - and looks to build a city by creating a welcoming business climate." | |
Plainfield Provides Grant Funds
For Businesses Impacted By Fire
| |
The City of Plainfield Thanks the Brave First Responders that Responded to the Downtown Fire | |
|
On Tuesday, February 7, 2023 a fire impacted 8 buildings and several businesses in downtown Plainfield. Firefighters began responding to the fire at 6:39PM and continued to work into the night.
Over 125 emergency personnel responded to the crisis and 17 municipalities worked together to combat the blaze. The Plainfield Fire Department received support from Scotch Plains, Union, Westfield, Springfield, Fanwood, Cranford, Summit, Rahway, Linden, Mountainside, New Providence, Clark, Berkeley Heights, Roselle, North Plainfield, and South Plainfield. Other supporting agencies included the Westfield PD, Union County Rehab, Numerous EMS units, the New Jersey Division of Fire, the Red Cross, and other supporting agencies.
These brave first responders kept our residents safe and stopped the fire from impacting more of our commercial downtown. We thank you for your strength, service, & courage and for stepping up in our city's time of need.
| |
Watch Mayor Mapp's Message at the Second Annual Black Business Owners Expo
Sunday, February 5th, 2023
| |
|
On Sunday, February 5th, over 30 Black businesses and vendors from a variety of industries came together at Shiloh Baptist Church for the Second Annual Black Business Owners Expo. The event was supported by a Grant from the Plainfield Cultural & Heritage Commission and the Urban League of Union County Inc.
The event featured a worship service, a business owners panel, and an opportunity for attendees to buy from vendors. Some of the business owners featured were Kyle Briggs from 'Too Much Sauce', Ssanyu Lukoma from 'Brown Kids Read', and Patrick Terborg from 'TD+ Partners'.
Attending the event were Mayor Adrian O. Mapp, Council President Charles McRae, Councilwoman Terri Briggs-Jones, Councilman Richard Wyatt, and Director of Economic Development Zenobia Fields among other city officials
| |
City of Plainfield Extends Condolences to Sayreville | |
We are heartbroken to learn of the senseless murder of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour. She made her mark in history by being the first African American to take office in the borough of Sayreveville. May she be remembered for her dedication to public service. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and community. | |
Black History Month Spotlight:
Fannie Lou Hamer
| |
Fannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977) is one of the most important, unrelenting, and powerful voices of the civil and voting rights movement. She was born on October 6, 1917 in Montgomery County, Mississippi to sharecropper parents. As a Black woman, she faced many horrific injustices - one of them being an unconsented hysterectomy by a white doctor at a time when forced sterilization was common in the South as a way to reduce the Black population. In 1962, she became an organizer for the Student Non-Violent Coordination Committee (SNCC) and led 17 volunteers to register to vote. They were denied the right due to an unfair literacy test, were harassed on their way home, and were fined by police because their bus was “too yellow”. When their boss heard of what happened Hamer and her husband were fired from their jobs and had their property confiscated. In 1963, Hamer and several other Black women were arrested for sitting in a “whites only” bus station restaurant and were brutally beaten which left Hamer with lifelong injuries. In 1964, Hamer co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) to challenge the local Democratic Party’s efforts to block Black voter participation. In 1964, Hamer organized Freedom Summer, which mobilized hundreds of Black and white college students to the segregated South in order to help with Black voter registration. In 1964, Hamer, Victoria Gray, and Annie Devine became the first Black women to stand in the U.S. Congress when they unsuccessfully protested the Mississippi House election of 1964.
Hamer also had a passion for working towards economic equity for Black Americans. She started “pig banks” to provide Black farmers with free pigs, bought up land that Black people could own and farm collectively through the creation of the Freedom Farm Cooperative (FFC), single-handedly ensured that 200 units of low-income housing were built, and did much more for the Black community at a time when they were repeatedly being failed by the federal government. During the 1964 Democratic National Convention, she gave a speech that would capture the attention of the entire nation. Describing the injustices that she and her community had endured in their fight for justice, she famously said, “All my life I’ve been sick and tired. Now I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
Fannie Lou Hamer was jailed, beaten, and threated for her activism, but she never backed down - no matter how exhausted she was. She worked to give her community everything she could until her death in 1977 of breast cancer at the age of 59. Black women in the civil rights movement are often forgotten, but we would not live in the world we live in today without their strength, determination, and sacrifice.
If you would like to learn more about the life of Fannie Lou Hamer, join us on Saturday, February 11th at 7:30PM in the Plainfield Performing Arts Center for a performance of “Sick and Tired: The Fannie Lou Hamer Story”.
| |
The City of Plainfield Presents
"Sick and Tired: The Fannie Lou Hamer Story"
| |
|
Are you eligible for property tax relief? If you:
- Owned or rented your home on 10/1/19
- Meet income requirements
- File or are exempt from NJ income taxes
You may qualify for an ANCHOR benefit. Learn more: bit.ly/NJANCHOR
| |
Do You Know What's Happening in your City?
Click the Image below and take a look at Plainfield's Latest City Events, Community Resources, and so much more!
| |
|
Check out our City's Commercial:
"Welcome to Plainfield"
| |
¿ How Do You Show Love for Plainfield? | |
|
Watch our 2022 Love PlainfieldCommercial!
" The Queen City is Love"
| |
|
2022 Fall Newsletter
"Where We Were. Where We Are. Where We're Going."
Click the image to read it virtually!
| |
A MESSAGE FROM
UNION COUNTY:
Union County Commissioners Gallery Holds Special Black History Month Exhibit in February
| |
|
In celebration of Black History Month, the Union County Board of County Commissioners invites the public to view Black History Month – Notable People of Union County, a special exhibit of Union County residents who have distinguished themselves as inventors, artists and athletes. The unique exhibit pairs portraits and biographical information of notable residents with maps of the public parklands in their vicinity.
“Our parks are the crown jewel of Union County – and the Black History Month – Notable People of Union County’s gallery provides a detailed insight into the roles that African Americans played as an inspiration to some of these outdoor spaces,” said Commissioner Chairman Sergio Granados. “I am proud to have these photos on display to give more awareness to the outstanding achievements many African Americans residents of Union County played in our community and beyond. I encourage all residents to come out and visit the gallery.”
“This exhibit illustrates the linkage between access to open space and recreation, and the principle of equal respect and dignity, while raising awareness of the remarkable achievements of our most notable residents,” said Commissioner James E. Baker, Jr.
| |
|
A MESSAGE FROM
THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY:
Governor Murphy Signs "Temporary Workers’ Bill of Rights" into Law
| |
|
Landmark Legislation Bolsters Support for a Workforce Predominantly Comprised of Immigrants and Workers of Color
TRENTON – In a significant step for vulnerable workers in New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy today signed A1474/S511, commonly referred to as the "Temporary Workers' Bill of Rights." This legislation significantly expands the rights and protections afforded to temporary workers, and was sent to the Governor's desk after the Legislature concurred with changes recommended by the Governor last September.
“Our temporary workers, regardless of their race or status, are key contributors to the workforce in our state,” said Governor Murphy. “Signing the Temporary Workers’ Bill of Rights establishes necessary guidelines for temporary help service firms and third-party clients to ensure that these workers are afforded basic protections and treated with the dignity they deserve. I am especially grateful to Senator Joe Cryan, Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez, and the many workers' rights advocates for their leadership and tireless efforts on this issue.”
The bill allows for greater oversight of temporary help service firms and third-party clients by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) and the Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) within the Department of Law and Public Safety. Under the bill, DCA will oversee enhanced certification requirements for temporary help service firms. Contracting with uncertified firms will be prohibited for third-party clients. Enforcement actions will fall under NJDOL’s purview.
"Every worker should be treated with respect and dignity. Thanks to the Murphy Administration and the Legislature, temporary workers will now have additional tools available to secure the fair wages and protections they are entitled to under the law – yet another advancement strengthening New Jersey as the gold standard for worker protections and development," said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo.
| | |
A MESSAGE FROM
THE WHITE HOUSE:
The Biden-Harris Administration’s Work to Make Our Communities Safer and Advance Effective, Accountable Policing
| |
|
A young Black man should not have to fear for his life when stopped for an alleged traffic violation. And no one should have to put their life on the line to stop a mass shooter. At the State of the Union, Mrs. RowVaughn Wells and Mr. Rodney Wells, Tyre Nichols’ mother and stepfather, will sit in the First Lady’s box. Tyre Nichols’ death is just the latest horrific example of the fear and trauma, pain, and exhaustion that Black and brown Americans experience every day. They will be joined by Brandon Tsay, who showed the ultimate courage by stopping a gunman in Monterey Park, California just last month.
President Biden is committed to doing everything he can to make our communities safer, including by advancing effective, accountable policing. Our criminal justice system must protect the public and ensure fair and impartial justice for all. These are mutually reinforcing, not competing, goals. The Biden-Harris Administration has taken action to advance effective, accountable policing, build trust, and improve public safety so that we make the promise of equal justice under the law a reality for all.
Tonight, President Biden will also highlight progress made to implement his Safer America Plan and additional steps he will take in the year ahead. The President’s Safer America Plan:
- Advances effective, accountable policing
- Funds the police and promotes effective prosecution of crimes affecting families today.
- Invests in crime prevention and a fairer criminal justice system.
- Takes additional commonsense steps on guns to keep dangerous firearms out of dangerous hands.
| |
HELP US TAKE CARE OF OUR CITY!
DOWNLOAD THE REPORT- IT APP
Available in IOS and Android Mobile Phones
| |
Exercise your civic duty-- be the eyes and ears of our City! Your reports can greatly increase the quality of life in our Plainfield community. Let's work together to keep our city safe- If you see it, say it with ReportIt. | |
|
Use the app, or text
reportit to 63975
| |  |
| |
|
Mayor Adrian O. Mapp and the City of Plainfield are committed to making it as easy as possible to report concerns in our city. To that end, we've partnered with REPORT IT, which is now live in Plainfield and ready to be used as an important supplemental reporting tool.
Report it makes community reporting easier than ever! Residents and visitors can download the app by scanning the barcode above or by going to your phone's app store. Your reports will be submitted to the appropriate City department to be resolved.
| |
Sign Up for Our Weekly Newsletter | |
|
Sign up for our weekly newsletter and stay informed on the latest projects, and events around our Queen City!
Call us at: 908.753.3015 or
E:communications@plainfieldnj.gov
| |
|
|THE CITY OF PLAINFIELD NJ|
515 WATCHUNG AVENUE | 908-753-3310| MONDAY-FRIDAY | 9 A.M.- 5 P.M.|
| |
Creating One Plainfield. One Future. | | | | |
