Council took a portion of its recent meeting to cite Black history, including James Mintas, a former slave who became an Evesham business and property owner. He built the structure above on 15 acres of land at 1 West Main St. in 1798.
Evesham council acknowledged February as Black History Month with a proclamation at its Feb. 13 meeting.
Mayor Jackie Veasy read the document citing the contributions and legacies of Black Americans.
“The month of February is observed as Black History Month, a time to uplift enduring legacies of Black Americans whose resilience and contributions have shaped the freedom, opportunity and progress of our township and nation as a whole,” it said.
The document also highlighted the story of James Mintas, a Black resident and freed slave who became both a property and business owner in the township. In 1798, he purchased 15 acres of land and was responsible for building the first section of the house that still stands at 1 West Main St., at what is now the intersection of Main Street and Maple Avenue.
“Evesham’s own history contains many such stories, such as the legacy of James Mintas,” the proclamation noted. “(Mintas was) a freed slave who built a home for himself that still stands at the corner of Main Street and Maple Avenue. (Mintas) also owned his own brickyard, where it is believed he made bricks used to construct some of the most historic buildings in our community.”
The document also cited the historic Milford settlement, a community of free Black families and fugitive slaves, who – moving along the Underground Railroad – formed a small enclave with their own businesses, church, school and more within what is now Evesham.
“With these stories in mind, we must also use this time to recognize the countless Black Americans who have faced racial discrimination, and systemic injustice, both past and present, as well as their courage and determination that allowed them to push back against oppression in their march towards their better world,” the document urged.
“May the stories shared during Black History Month inspire all residents to recognize this historic aspect of our richly diverse community, not only during February, but all throughout the year ahead.”
“(The township) has been working for the last several years to uncover, if you will, Evesham’s Black history,” Councilwoman Heather Cooper noted. She cited the township, its Human Rights Advisory Committee and members of the Friends of the Black Run Preserve nonprofit for their efforts in saving a cemetery in the preserve area.
“We were able to uncover many burial plots of, not only freed slaves, but also our veterans,” Cooper explained. (The efforts also resulted in the discovery of) partnerships with the Underground Railroad areas, such as the Quaker meeting house in Cropwell.
“It is a privilege to be here and to be able to uncover these untold stories,” she added. “As we celebrate with our … advisory committee, we’ll be able to tour and celebrate with the community some of these spaces in the upcoming weeks.
“We’ve had a great partnership with the historic preservation society, who have done a lot of work to preserve this information for us, for now and for the future,” Veasy remarked.
The next council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12.
