First Annual Pre-Watch Night Prayer Walk

It was a solemn time on December 31,1862—160 years ago, two years into the Civil War, which cost over 700,000 American lives, families held in bondage gathered, waited, and watched for the clock to strike twelve—when they would be slaves no more. They watched and waited for the midnight hour when their hopes would come true and the wicked walls of slavery in the USA began to crumble. Since then, generations have celebrated Watch Night with song and prayer. With the Emancipation Proclamation in effect, January 1, 1863 became “Freedom Day” for over 4 million of our people after almost 250 years of bondage in the Confederate South. It was, in spirit and in truth, the dawn of Freedom!

One hundred and sixty years later on December 30, 2022 at 3pm, a new American tradition was born in Newark, NJ. A candlelight pre-Watch Night prayer walk proceeded from the facade of Second Presbyterian Church in Lincoln Park to the steps of City Hall. This observance of the 160th anniversary of the Great Emancipation was a prayer walk of remembrance, gratitude, faith, and hope!

On Saturday February 25th, all roads lead to the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark for TPC’s 4th Annual Great American Emancipation Awards Banquet — a celebration of and for the people! On this day we honor our community’s best and brightest. We honor leaders of diverse vocations who stand in unity on the front lines of loving service, progress, and good will—positive change!

Special thanks to the City of Newark, Mayor Ras J. Baraka, and Councilwoman Rev. Louise Scott-Rountree. We appreciate the support of the Newark Ecumenical Clergy Alliance; General Baptist Convention of NJ, Rev. J. Michael Saunders, president; United Missionary Baptist Convention of NJ, Rev. Andre Milteer, president; and New Garden State Jurisdiction Church of God in Christ (COGIC), Senior Bishop William T. Cahoon, State of NJ. We owe a debt of gratitude to many friends and encouragers—the forward thinkers!

Thanks to community partners for progress: Prudential and New Jersey visitnj.org.