Newark unveils vision for new Community Museum
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- Mayor Ras Baraka and other officials on Monday unveiled their vision for the Newark Community Museum, which will reinvent the city's historic 1st Police Precinct as a center for healing, conflict resolution and social justice.
The precinct, located at 17th Avenue, will be closed by December 31, 2021, and be transitioned into the museum and headquarters for the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery.
It will also chronicle local activism and positive police changes.
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The 1st Precinct is the location where the 1967 Newark Rebellion began on July 12, 1967.
At that time, the structure was designated the 4th Precinct.
The museum's mission, vision and programming are in development under the stewardship of the Museum Advisory Commission, a group of community leaders, historians, academics, arts administrators, and city officials.
Under the direction of Newark Historian Junius Williams, the Museum Advisory Committee will help convert the building into a place where Newark residents' movements for justice and celebrations of life will be on permanent display.
Residents will be asked to donate their artifacts for display as long as they portray a story of resistance to injustice, and stories of people's struggle for justice.
In addition, the committee has commissioned a series of video documentaries entitled "Our City - Our Stories."
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Global architecture firm Gensler led the vision design of the Newark Community Museum, which incorporated feedback and aspirations from the community.
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