Montclair, NJ – “Since the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, our whole country is supposed to be woke, but the town of Montclair is asleep. One of the oldest homes in the township owned by a freed enslaved man should undoubtedly be preserved but instead, it is now on the market.” — Dionne Ford
That home is James Howe House, also known as the Freed Slave House. In his 1831 will, Nathaniel Crane left Howe his freedom along with the house, $600 and land. Some scholars have speculated that Howe might have been more than just Crane’s slave — perhaps he was also his son. Many of the town’s property owners were slaveholders and New Jersey was the last state in the union to abolish slavery.
The Friends of the Howe House, a coalition of community activists, fear this important history risks being lost. The Friends of the Howe House had been communicating with the property’s owner with a goal of preserving the home’s history, but now the home has been placed on the market, with a specific call for investors to purchase the historic home.
The Friends of the Howe House will rally on Sunday, October 16th at 1:30 p.m. in front of the Howe house at 369 Claremont Avenue. They hope to purchase and historically restore the Howe House, so it can became a location for education and advocacy as well as house a digital archive of the African American History in Montclair.
To help Friends of the Howe House buy the house so that it will be preserved, you can contribute to Friends of the Howe House via https://tinyurl.com/UUCMFOHH or text “UUCM HoweHouse” to 73256 to give, using your mobile device.
A fire damaged the Howe House in 2013; the Montclair Historical Society then called for the house to be restored as an important piece on Montclair history. But the fight to preserve this house dates back to 2007.
“The fact so many different groups are coming together to try and preserve this property speaks to its historical value and the appreciation of the African-American history in Montclair,” says Fourth Ward Councilor David Cummings. “I look forward to collaborating with everyone to do all we can to keep this cherish property a part of Township.”
“This is a local historic landmark and I intend to help these advocates pursue state and federal status too,” says Councilor at Large Peter Yacobellis. “I also want to remind everyone that demolition permits must be approved by the Historic Preservation Commission. So anyone possibly looking at this site as an investment or a flip should be mindful.”
Listed as a 1 bedroom, 1 bath home for $379,000, photos of the home show a modern interior of the home; the original home featured a beehive oven and large hearth fireplace with a crane.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story had a quote incorrectly attributed to Rev. Anya Sammler-Michael. We reget the error.
It won’t work as a museum, but knock yourselves out. Preservation and on the market are often synonymous. What is shocking is what the licensed realtor, not the listing agent, at Prominent Properties thinks of this listing.
Business slowing down?
Go visit the Schultz House Museum several doors down @ N. Mtc & Claremont. its hours are…never.
Seriously people, it was a registered historic parcel Federally & with the State of NJ over 30 years ago. And you guys are advocating for protecting the history of Montclair? Nah, c’mon. Tell me.