New Brunswick / North Brunswick High School Public Memory Project

Art

The research from this project has yielded two murals created by local artist, Albertus Joseph, located in North Brunswick Township High School, and a New Brunswick location yet to be dretermined. These works connect contemporary experience and identity in these communities with the district split from 1973. 

Advocacy

The New Brunswick/North Brunswick High School Public Memory Project launched in 2022 as a collaboration between community stakeholders, scholars, and artists, focused on the creation of public programming and art that explores histories of school segregation in the city of New Brunswick, North Brunswick Township, and Middlesex County. 

Community

This project features life-course oral histories of individuals who were students during the public school district split between New Brunswick and North Brunswick Township in the early 1970’s. Present students from both school districts participated in workshops where they read and responded to the interviews, and created the primary content for the resulting murals.

 

Collaborating Partners

The New Brunswick/North Brunswick High School Public Memory Project is a collaboration between community stakeholders, scholars, students, and artists. The project is co-directed by coLAB Arts and the American Studies Department at Rutgers University, New Brunswick. Support for this project comes from the Arts Institute of Middlesex County, the New Jersey Historical Commission, the Rutgers Research Council, and the Rutgers Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice. Special thanks to NBTHS Assistant Principal & Supervisor of Social Studies, Mark Zielinski.

 

North Brunswick

Oral History Lesson

Representation Definitions

The students developed their own definitions of Representation .

What does representation mean to you?

Student Work Gallery

Want us to feature your classroom project? Submit below!

New Brunswick

student work gallery

Mural Selfie Gallery

Take a look at everyone who has interacted with the mural. Submit a selfie of you own! Tag us with #NBPMP on Instagram and Facebook.

 

NBPMP Oral Histories

This is an ongoing collaboration with Professor Andrew Urban and Rutgers University - Department of American Studies and includes oral histories with individuals who were present for the public school district split between New Brunswick and North Brunswick Township in 1973, and whose experiences helped frame an understanding for those historic conditions.

Featured
Joe Nastus

Joe Nastus loves his hometown of New Brunswick and details many fond memories of growing up in the area. Joe worked full-time in the plumbing business, owning a company that he sold in 2015. He discusses the many reinventions of New Brunswick that he has witnessed over the years. He is involved with Rotary fundraising, likes to take cross-country motorcycle trips, and is earning his private pilot’s license.

Jimmie Staton

Jimmie Staton is an active member of the New Brunswick community. Mr. Staton’s narration offers reflections on white flight, racism, inner city schools, and being Black in America in the 21st century.

James Wiggins

James Wiggins is a native of New Brunswick where the majority of his memories take place. James talks about growing up on Loretta Street, his experiences in school, and the importance of his neighborhood in shaping that type of person that he wanted to be. He is a life-long musician who, after helping set up Crossroads Theatre Company, a Black theater company in New Brunswick, became an actor himself.  Now retired from truck driving, James narrates his deep love for his family, especially for his wife and his late son.