Welcome!

Dear Friends of the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum,

The board and staff of the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum hopes that this letter finds you and yours safe and in the best of health.

You are the reason the first African American Museum in Central New Jersey exists right here in the Sourland Mountain Region. The Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM) board and staff would like to thank you and let you know that, despite these challenging times, SSAAM is moving forward in meaningful and significant ways because of the support we have received from donors like you.

We are reaching out to our community of supporters, at this time, to let you know what we’re up to and how you can help us continue to achieve our mission to tell the story of the unique culture, experiences and contributions of the African American community in the Sourland Mountain Region.

We are extremely excited and proud to announce that the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum now owns its home at the Mt. Zion AME Church! We closed on the building and property in 2020 after leasing since 2016. SSAAM is also pleased to announce that we have received a 2020 Somerset County Historic Preservation and History Award for Education and Leadership! We appreciate the consistent support we have received from Somerset County since SSAAM began four years ago. We are also thrilled to announce that we have been awarded a New Jersey Historic Trust Grant in the amount of $50,000 to create a master site plan for the Sourland Education & Exhibit Center, which is a space we will share with the Sourland Conservancy.

SSAAM’s current work includes a short film about SSAAM and its mission. The premier of this film and another film made by the Sourland Conservancy about SSAAM is coming soon! Stay tuned to our social media outlets, website and eNewsletter for announcements! Other projects include a 360 degree virtual tour of the Mt. Zion AME Church and the Stoutsburg Cemetery, a Sourland African American History Tour that will feature interpretive signs placed at African American history sites of interest in the region, participation in The Witness Stones Project – a project in local schools that memorializes and honors the lives of enslaved individuals who lived in the region, and final renovations to the Mt. Zion AME Church, SSAAM’s home. Please visit our website for more information about all of these projects: www.ssaamuseum.org.

SSAAM believes that telling the whole, inclusive story of American history is essential to the survival of our American democracy.  Our accomplishments toward that end on a local level are part of the larger movement in our nation toward liberty and justice for all. As the statement on our website reads, “…we feel the need at this particular moment in history to reaffirm our commitment to amplifying the narratives of black people, even and especially when they challenge the assertion that this nation was built on the concept of freedom for all.”

We know that you feel this way, too, which is why SSAAM is counting on your support during our end-of-year appeal. Your donation will enable us to bring to life the voices of both the enslaved and freed African Americans in our region and, with education as our weapon, fight against the forces that seek to silence these voices.

Remember, we are offering Founding Memberships through the end of this year. If you are already a Founding Member, you also have until the end of the year to move to a higher Founding Membership level (please contact us at , if you have any questions):

$100-$249 (Supporter): Acknowledgement as Museum Supporter on Museum website, Facebook page and publications.

$250-$999 (Bronze): Acknowledgement as Friend of Museum on Museum website, Facebook page and publications.

$1000-$2499 (Silver): Silver listing on wall plaque as Founding Member of the Museum.

$2500-$4999 (Gold): Gold listing on wall plaque as Founding Member of the Museum.

$5000 (Platinum): Platinum listing on wall plaque as Founding Member of the Museum and a framed print of the Mt. Zion AME Watercolor by Martha Haude.

Your support for our mission is greatly appreciated!

Please send your check to SSAAM, PO Box 162, Hopewell, NJ 08525, or donate online below.

With appreciation and warmest regards,

John B. Buck

Board President

SSAAM