African American residents have lived in Princeton since the town was settled in the late 17th century. During this early period, enslaved individuals worked on farms and in domestic homes, including those owned by presidents and trustees of Princeton University. At the turn of the 20th century, many African Americans from the South migrated northwards—to places like Princeton—in search of employment. In the first half of the 20th century, Princeton was a racially segregated town where African Americans were denied entry to many social establishments. Despite these hardships, Princeton’s Black residents found community in churches, schools, organizations, and businesses in the town’s Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood.
From the 1920s to the 1960s, the Palmer Square area was developed in phases as part of an urban renewal project. While the project successfully made way for more commercial stores and restaurants, it encroached upon the African American community and pushed the neighborhood and its residents further away from Nassau Street. Despite the physical displacement of their homes and businesses, their contributions continued to shape the town. Stories and memories bear witness to the lasting imprints made by Princeton’s Black residents on their town.
Archival photographs offer a glimpse into the vibrant Black homes and businesses that once stood in the neighborhood. Many of these images were commissioned by real estate developers and city planners, whose biased documentation of the area often used derogatory language to describe these locations as a way to reinforce their justification for so-called “town improvement” projects. The photographs were deliberately framed to evoke a sense of emptiness and neglect, denying the vibrancy and lived experiences of the neighborhood’s residents. Here, we reframe these images as a testament to the lives, culture, and resilience of the people who once called it home.
Inspired by historical photographs and archival material from the Historical Society of Princeton, Nigerian artist Onome Olotu brings her vision to life through a series of large canvas "postcards." Her work blends the historical and the personal, using archival images as a foundation to explore themes of belonging and memory. As a recent artist-in-residence at the Arts Council of Princeton, Olotu imagines what it was like to live in Princeton as a Black person, depicting herself and her friends as part of the Witherspoon-Jackson community before urban renewal transformed the neighborhood. Reflecting on her work, Olotu stated,
"Having lived in Princeton for two years now, I’ve often wondered why there are so few Black families here. When I learned there used to be many more, I began imagining what it would have been like to be part of that community. These paintings are the postcards I would have sent home, capturing the spirit of Black life in Princeton before the changes." Her work blends the historical and personal, using archival images as a foundation to explore themes of belonging and memory.”
In addition to Olotu’s historical reimaginings, the exhibition features a virtual reality tour that bridges the history of Palmer Square and the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood. Built with 360-degree photography, AI-generated content, and immersive storytelling, this VR experience allows visitors to step back in time and view Princeton through the perspectives of its African American residents. The tour offers a chance to walk through both familiar and forgotten streets, encountering voices, stories, and memories of residents who shaped the neighborhood. By blending the past and present, the VR tour encourages visitors to reflect on the concepts of home, identity, and belonging in a changing town.
