Newark's Abyssinian Baptist Church Designated a Historic Landmark

By Jacqueline Andrews

“My father’s heritage is East Indian; my mother is African-American and so they were bringing together two cultures,” said Kahn. “That’s ethically as well as geographically. Growing up, there was never a sense that we were solely identified by being Black kids in Camden, New Jersey. Yes, we were Black in Camden, but our roots are global. What I’ve always wanted to tell people through Crossroads is that it’s about our roots. As Black people in this country we should not forget or even allow people to think this is all of who we are.” He continued, “There’s much more! The sense of a connecting, having a theater like Crossroads that connects to many different communities in this country and around the world is in order for us to redefine who we are on a larger level.”

“During the first part of the pandemic, March 2020, I had been thinking about retiring,” King revealed. “Then the pandemic increased in time. The offices closed down. Then people needed to have shots. I said, ‘Wait a minute, I don’t want to go back to work. I’m 83 years old. So, what should I do?’ I thought, I needed a young person to run it. And that person was Elizabeth Van Dyke, our artistic director. She’s experienced and understands how to communicate with this generation. And getting that younger person to run it and work with me over the last year and five months, solidified it for me.”

Through tribulations and toils to triumph, Abyssinian Baptist Church in Newark, NJ celebrated its 106th anniversary with a service and dedication of an historical landmark plaque. Taking place during Black History Month on Sunday, February 5, 2023, the ceremony was all the more poignant.

Across the Hudson River, one of the pioneering institutions integrating artists of color and women into the mainstream American theater, Woodie King Jr.’s New Federal Theater (NFT), faces major changes. Founded in 1970, NFT began as an outgrowth of a theatre program called Mobilization for Youth. The theatre’s first season opened in the basement of St. Augustine’s

As millions of people quarantined last year, theaters around the world temporarily closed their doors and we were forced to stay at home without live entertainment. For the first time, the theater found the need to compete with social media and streaming platforms. NFT embraced change, deciding to shift theater to the digital space with pre-recorded and live

Constructed in the classical revival style in 1901 by Newark-born Nathan Myers, the building at 224 West Kinney Street originally housed a synagogue. In 1917, former members of Hopewell Baptist Church organized Abyssinian Baptist Church and purchased the building in 1947. To meet the congregation’s needs, the interior saw upgrades, but the façade remains the same. Mary L. Harris, chair of the landmark dedication ceremony who researched the church’s history, has worshiped at Abyssinian for 62 years. “I love this church and its people,” Harris said.

In attendance were U.S. Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr., Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, and Newark City

Councilmembers. Council President LaMonica McIver, Rev. Louise Rountree, Anibal Ramos, Luis Quintana, Lawrence Crump, Carlos Gonzalez, and Dupre Kelly joined Essex County Freeholder President Wayne Richardson, who presented a proclamation that will be displayed at the Hall of Records. Letters of commendation came from NJ Governor Phil Murphy and Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver.

Created by the Newark Landmark Committee, the plaque cites the visit from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in March 1968, eight days before his assassination. The Victoria Foundation and Newark Landmarks funded the cost of the plaque placed in the church’s beautiful sanctuary. The guest celebrant of the 106th church anniversary, Rev. Johnny M. Caldwell, pastor of New Born Baptist Church in Newark; based his sermon on Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

Words to live by, indeed.

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