NEWS: The book Anglican Slavery in New Jersey is out!

The new book Anglican Slavery in New Jersey: An Initial Accounting, based on research conducted through the Diocese of New Jersey Racial Justice Review by Reparations Commission historian Dr. Jolyon Pruszinski, is now available for purchase. From the book jacket: 
            “As the last northern state to enact gradual abolition laws, New Jersey played a powerful role in keeping slavery alive, and Anglicans and Episcopalians were deeply involved in establishing and maintaining that slave society. Throughout the colonial era, Anglicans were some of the strongest supporters of the institution, and often the most prolific enslavers, while formal church policy encouraged evangelization of the enslaved to ensure their docility. Priests stationed in the colony sought the “more comfortable subsistence” that plantation ownership provided, and many who became the most established in New Jersey succeeded as a result of their reliance on enslaved labor. After the Revolutionary War, White Episcopalians continued to be among those most resistant to changing slavery laws, and the initiatives they supported, such as the American Colonization Society and the 'Africa Mission,' were highly racist. Black Episcopalians who stayed with the Church during this time were marginalized through segregation and neglect, except when they were the victims of open hostility. In Anglican Slavery in New Jersey, Jolyon Pruszinski tells the neglected history that has shaped today’s church, and invites any who will hear to take up the work of research, reckoning, repentance, and repair.”

A Site of Memory: Christ Church, Middletown, and the Execution of the Enslaved

Christ Church, Middletown, Historic American Buildings Survey.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

The current campus of Christ Church Middletown is built on top of the former town execution site, which was also the location of the original Middletown jail.[1] This kind of association was typical in churches of this era that were connected with the elite members of society, many of whom held positions of authority in government including as judges,[2] sheriffs,[3] Colonels,[4] etc. The connection with the organs of the local “justice” system were viewed as salutary, even as those systems enforced slavery,[5] allowed rape of slaves,[6] and protected enslavers from the consequences of their actions.[7]

The leadership and elite members of Christ Church, Middletown were certainly among the most connected members of the town and, by extension, with this system of “justice.” In its earliest life, the Church was given land by men fully enmeshed in the plantation economy of the time. Rev. Alexander Innes was one of these,[8] as was William Leeds, a “wealthy planter” who gave a huge glebe donation.[9] In fact the endowment from the Leeds gift was still paying the priest’s salary at Middletown as late as the 1920s.[10]

There were at least four executions of enslaved people at Middletown that show the operative dynamics of this system of relations between Anglicans, the enslaved, and the administration of “justice” is reported by many historians,[11] but among them the former rector of Christ Church, Middletown, Ernest W. Mandeville. He writes:

As early as 1691, four negroes, Jeremy, Tom, Mingo, and Caesar, were tried for murder in the county court house, which was located just back of the jail… and executed [at] the present site of the Episcopal Church. Their cruel and horrible sentence read: ‘That their right hands should be cut off and burned to ashes, in a fire before their eyes, after which they were to be hanged by the neck until they were dead, Dead, DEAD,’ after which their bodies were to be burned to ashes. Tradition states that the hanging took place… in front of the jail.[12]

The particular crime that Jeremy was accused of was the murder of Lewis Morris, of Passage Point,[13] the cousin and business partner of Col. Lewis Morris, the committed Anglican who went on to become governor (and who at this time was head of the local council). Morris had been killed in retaliation for his murder (and possibly rape) of a woman he enslaved,[14] a crime which the New Jersey courts had declined to investigate in spite of petitions from other enslaved people.[15] The punishments meted out to the four executed men were obviously meant to serve as a statement designed to inspire terror in other enslaved Black people, and prevent further rebellion. Elite Anglicans were intimately involved in this act of “justice” and in enforcing the brutal system of enslavement that supported their plantation economy. 

            That Christ Church, Middletown was built on the site shows that, at the time of construction, the association with such history was viewed as a positive aspect of the site choice, or at the very least, an inoffensive one.

Jolyon G. R. Pruszinski, Ph.D.

Reparations Commission Historian

Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey

---

[1] Ernest W. Mandeville, The Story of Middletown: The Oldest Settlement in New Jersey (Middletown, NJ: Christ Church, 1927), 101.

[2] E.g. Episcopal judge Jacob van Wickle.

[3] E.g. Anglican sheriff of Monmouth County, William Nichols. 

[4] E.g. the influential and politically connected Col. Lewis Morris.

[5] Sheriffs in New Jersey sought to catch and return escaped slaves. For instance, see the runaway slave advertisement published by Monmouth County sheriff William Nichols in The Pennsylvania Gazette on July 4, 1729 (republished in Richard B. Marrin, ed., Runaways of Colonial New Jersey: Indentured Servants, Slaves, Deserters, and Prisoners, 1720-1781 [Westminster, MD: Heritage Books, 2007], 268).

[6] As evidenced in parish registers at the time. The parish register of Christ Church Shrewsbury shows evidence of baptisms of 4 “bastards” and 12 “mulatto” “servants,” suggesting impregnation by Anglican heads of household. Parish register of Christ Church, Shrewsbury, N.J. See also Robert M. Kelley, “Slavery Evidenced in the Parish Register,” Christ Church Shrewsbury (January 2019): https://christchurchshrewsbury.org/?page_id=3459.

[7] As the following episode will demonstrate.

[8] Mandeville, The Story of Middletown, 102.

[9] Mandeville, The Story of Middetown, 104-105. Profits from glebes at this time were almost without exception the product of the use of enslaved labor.

[10] Mandeville, The Story of Middetown, 55.

[11] Some of the accounts vary in some details from Mandeville’s, including the date of the execution, the names of the enslaved, and the crime of Morris’s they were seeking to avenge. See, for instance, Graham Russell Hodges, Slavery and Freedom in the Rural North: African Americans in Monmouth County, New Jersey, 1665-1865 (Madison, WI: Madison House, 1997), 23; Franklin Ellis, History of Monmouth County New Jersey (Philadelphia: Peck, 1885), 299-400; Henry C. Reed, “Chapters in a History of Crime and Punishment in New Jersey,” (Ph.D. dissertation, Princeton University, 1939), 126.

[12] Mandeville, The Story of Middletown, 52.

[13] A location within nearby Shrewsbury.

[14] Daniel J. Weeks, Not for Filthy Lucre’s Sake: Richard Saltar and the Antiproprietary Movement in East New Jersey, 1665-1707 (Bethlehem: Lehigh University Press, 2001), 113.

[15] Hodges, Slavery and Freedom in the Rural North, 23.

Overt Racism in the Correspondence of Bishop Alfred L. Banyard (1908-1992)

Rt. Rev. Alfred L. Banyard.
Photo by Jolyon Pruszinski of portrait at Diocesan headquarters in Trenton, NJ.

In the 1950’s and 60’s Bishop Banyard (1908-1992) had worked hard to establish Christ the King, Willingboro in the initially all-White development built there by the Levitt corporation.[1] However, the initial leadership of the parish was shaky, and in the late 1960s Banyard installed a favorite priest, and personal friend there to protect his pet project. The correspondence between Banyard and the Rev. Cn. Nichols during his time as priest at Christ the King (as preserved in the Diocesan archives) is unusually intimate for Banyard, and on many occasions we see his “unvarnished” and, at times, seethingly nasty opinions come through, especially toward those he disliked. In letters from April 1968, at the time of the Trenton riots, we see particularly racist attitudes toward Black people on display in Banyard’s communications to Nichols. We present scans of the letters in question without further comment. 

Bishop Banyard to Rev. Cn. Nichols, 11 April 1968:

Bishop Banyard to Rev. Cn. Nichols, 15 April 1968:

Jolyon G. R. Pruszinski, Ph.D.
Reparations Commission Historian
Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey

---

[1] See Jolyon G. R. Pruszinski, “‘White Flight’ and Mission in the Diocese of New Jersey,” DNJRJR (1 October 2024): https://dionj-racialjusticereview.blogspot.com/2024/10/white-flight-and-mission-in-diocese-of.html, and Jolyon G. R. Pruszinski, “Christ the King, Levittown: An example of the ‘White Flight’ mission,” DNJRJR (8 October 2024): https://dionj-racialjusticereview.blogspot.com/2024/10/christ-king-levittown-example-of-white.html.

VIDEO: Reparations Webinar with Georgia Boon of COE Church Commissioners

 

On June 24, 2025 the Reparations Commission of the Diocese of New Jersey hosted Georgia Boon for the "Journey Toward Reparations Webinar: Church of England Reparatory Accountability." Georgia is the Director of Planning and Engagement for the Church of England Church Commissioners. Check it out here if you missed us in June.

Jolyon G. R. Pruszinski, Ph.D.
Reparations Commission Historian
Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey

Reparations Commission Research at the American Historical Association

The inaugural affiliate session of the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church (HSEC) at the Annual Meeting of the American Historical Association (AHA) will be held this coming Saturday, January 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois (10:30am-12pm, Wilson Room, Palmer House Hilton, Third Floor), and it will feature research from the Diocese of New Jersey Racial Justice Review. The presentation session is entitled “Anglican Slavery in New Jersey: Reparations Work in the Diocese of New Jersey and the Episcopal Church,” and the primary presenter will be Dr. Jolyon Pruszinski, the Reparations Commission Research Historian for the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey (and Lecturer in the History Department at Princeton University). Other presenters from the HSEC will include Rev. Dr. Valerie Bailey (Williams College), Rev. Dr. Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook (TEC Historiographer, Claremont School of Theology), and Matthew Payne (HSEC Director of Operations). 

 

Session Abstract: Episcopal parishes, dioceses, institutions, organizations, and seminaries across the country are actively leading reparations initiatives, turning reflection into meaningful action. The Reparations Commission of the Diocese of New Jersey has focused early efforts on research and education including through the Diocese of New Jersey Racial Justice Review (an ongoing self-study), the new book Anglican Slavery in New Jersey: An Initial Accounting, history-based services of repentance, local educational pilgrimages to historical sites of church-sanctioned slavery, and through enabling grassroots congregational research into slavery and racism at active parishes. These educational efforts support formal reparative policy recommendations being advanced by the Commission. 

 

It is not too late to register for the AHA meeting.

https://aha.confex.com/aha/2026/webprogram/Session27568.html

 

The HSEC will be holding an additional seminar later that day (2:30-5pm) at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Chicago (3801 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, IL) featuring the Rev. Dr. Bailey presenting on the “African American History Timeline in the Episcopal Church,” and a briefer presentation by Dr. Pruszinski.

 

We hope to see you there!

 

Jolyon G. R. Pruszinski, Ph.D.

Reparations Commission Research Historian

Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey

Direct Giving: Supporting Historically Black Churches in the Diocese of New Jersey

Historically Black Churches of the Diocese of New Jersey (Courtesy TEC)

The Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey has ten Historically Black Congregations that are engaging in vital ministry and providing critical social services in their communities. If you’d like to support their important work you can do so directly. In some instances, information regarding digital payments is available on church websites (see below). Payment via check can be directed as follows: 

 

Christ the King Episcopal Church, Willingboro

40 Charleston Road

Willingboro, NJ 08046

Website: https://www.christthekingnj.org/

 

St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, New Brunswick

148 Lee Ave.

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Website: https://www.facebook.com/p/St-Albans-Episcopal-Church-New-Brunswick-NJ-61559204812151/

 

St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, Asbury Park

P.O. Box 245

Asbury Park, NJ 07712

Website: https://www.staugustineap.org/

 

St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, Atlantic City

1709 Arctic Ave.

Atlantic City, NJ 08401

Website: https://www.facebook.com/staugustinesac/

 

St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, Camden

C/O Diocese of New Jersey

808 W. State St.

Trenton, NJ 08629

 

St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, Elizabeth

305 N. Broad St.

Elizabeth, NJ 07207

Website: https://stelizabethschurchnj.org/

 

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Plainfield

1430 Park Avenue

Plainfield, NJ 07060

Website: https://stmarksplainfield.org

 

St. Mary the Virgin Episcopal Church, Pleasantville

118 W. Bayview Ave.

Pleasantville, NJ 08232

Website: https://stmaryspleasantville.org

 

St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Red Bank

26 Sunset Ave.

Red Bank, NJ 07701

Website: https://www.stthomasredbank.org

 

St. Wilfrid’s Episcopal Church, Camden

P.O. Box 1506

Camden, NJ 08105

 

 

For additional information regarding some of the particular obstacles facing Historically Black Congregations in New Jersey see these recent articles on the Diocese of New Jersey Racial Justice Review:

 

“The White Church / Black Church Funding Gap” 

 

“NEWS: New Jersey Reparations Council Report Released!”  

 

Jolyon G. R. Pruszinski, Ph.D.

Reparations Commission Research Historian

Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey

The Very Rev. Cn. Dr. Sandye A. Wilson – Eulogy by Cn. Annette Buchanan

The Very Rev. Cn. Dr. Sandye A. Wilson (courtesy ENS)

The beloved Very Rev. Cn. Dr. Sandye A. Wilson, who served many years in the Diocese of New Jersey in Asbury Park and South Orange, passed away April 15, 2025. Cn. Annette Buchanan, co-convener of the Diocese of New Jersey Reparations Commission, delivered the eulogy at her funeral on June 21, 2025 at All Saints Cathedral, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. It is a beautiful testament to an amazing, faithful, trailblazing woman:

 

Eulogy For The Very Reverend Canon Dr. Sandye A. Wilson

June 21, 2025, All Saints Cathedral, St. Thomas, VI

 

I am very honored to have the opportunity to share my thoughts and memories of our dear sister in Christ and friend the Very Reverend Canon Dr. Sandye A. Wilson. 

In many ways it is fitting that I am here at her final farewell as I was present on two other occasions when we thought God had called her home, The first was on her birthday in 2014 at a workshop in Camden NJ, the second in 2023 at a celebration of both our birthdays at a NYC restaurant. With her guardian angel working overtime, prayers were answered, and we had the benefit of her ministry for a few more years. These occasions caused Rev. Sandye to really value life and live it to the fullest.

The Virgin Islands held a special place in her heart; it was during her teens on a mission trip to St. Thomas and St. Croix in 1969 that her interest in ordained ministry was developed. Over 40 years later, after formal retirement, she was asked to consider ministry in the Virgin Islands. She had another job offer at the time from a non-profit that presented a large compensation for her expertise, but after consulting with friends she again followed her heart and became Interim Dean of the Cathedral.  In April of this year, though extremely ill and against the advice of many, she was determined to make it back to the Virgin Islands and her ministry ended where it began. She had come full circle.

Rev. Sandye had a deep thirst for knowledge. She was a voracious consumer of a broad genre of literature and music. She listened to and read the news continuously, she was the first to see a new movie when it came out, she was a lifelong learner and had, as she described it, FOMO – fear of missing out. She attended services all over the world by Zoom, she joined webinars and bible studies to continually expand her knowledge. She held multiple degrees and certifications including undergraduate degree from Vassar College, DMIN (Doctor of Ministry) and MBA from the Graduate Theological Foundation, Northwestern University, Indiana and a certification in Art History and Music from the University of Vienna, Austria.

This deep knowledge fed into her self-described mission as a communicator. One of her early career choices that she genuinely enjoyed was as a reporter and researcher for Time magazine. She rarely said “no” to an invitation to teach or preach, she was about sharing the Good News in all formats. She had over 3 thousand friends on Facebook, all of them real, and posted information almost daily about life in the church and beyond. We teased her about the many pictures of sunsets in the Virgin Islands paradise and frankly sometimes worried about her oversharing. However, the information she conveyed with her broad network of friends and colleagues was always very much appreciated.

As Dean of the Cathedral, she mentioned that the members had given her a t-shirt that said “She Gone Again” translated means “She’s not here” and I know she had a good conversation with you all about how important it is for a priest to be represented in the leadership of the church. By the way, these travels were not vacation, they were sacrificial, as I reviewed her texts after she passed, many of them were of her in airports suffering through delayed flights, lack of sleep and freezing air conditioning.

Thankfully, in her leadership representation, Rev. Sandye was a trailblazer, she was the first Black female Rector in the Episcopal Church, meaning a priest who was fully in charge of the church and not an assistant. She had been ordained in the church for almost 45 years in 1980, women’s ordination in the Episcopal Church was approved in 1976, so she was one of the first.

When she became a priest in our diverse congregations, whether in Hartford, CT, Asbury Park, NJ, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Denver, Colorado, South Orange, NJ, or in this Cathedral, for many this was the first time we had experienced a female priest and that came with its own challenges. However, she rose to the occasion with her impactful sermons, creative liturgies, focus on youth ministry and outreach to the community. Many of us have experienced her writing 2 words in her hand and delivering a 30-minute sermon. I also remember her allowing bubbles instead of incense in the church when there were complaints of allergies, and live animals as part of the service, creative indeed. 

She had received several awards as a testament to her community service and ministry. One award that she was most proud of was “The 2023 Beautiful Are Their Feet Award” from the Samuel Dewitt Proctor Conference, a world-renowned faith-based justice organization. “It was a lifetime achievement award for the gifts and sacrifices of scholarship and ministry that she had evidenced and bestowed upon the African American and world community”.

As a leader in the church, she broke barriers, she was an elected Deputy to the General Convention in the Episcopal Church 11 times from 5 dioceses and served 21 years on the Executive Council (the Board of the Episcopal Church). She was the 13^th National President for the Union of Black Episcopalians, she served as Vice-Chair for the Board of Trustees for the Church Pension Group and on over 10 other Boards throughout her ministry, she was a candidate for Bishop in Kentucky and came in 2^nd as a Black female priest which was a courageous achievement for her time and paved the way for the current group of Black female bishops in our church today.

She travelled extensively around the world (South Africa, Brazil, Japan, Europe etc.), her network of colleagues in the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion, whether bishops, clergy, or lay leaders, near and far, were invaluable to numerous people who she mentored and advised. These connections also benefited the congregations she served and the surrounding communities including the Cathedral as she introduced new ideas, resources and expertise as her voice resounded over the Virgin Islands radio.

Rev. Sandye adored her immediate family, strongly supported her extended biological and adopted family members, deeply cared for parishioners – current and past, and was always present for friends and family through our joys and challenges. We are forever blessed by her presence.

When you are a trailblazer, like Rev. Sandye, you must push hard to open a number of doors and continue exhaustively to do so. Sometimes while pushing you may unknowingly hurt someone, and other times others may hurt you. There were many exhilarating mountain-top experiences and some painful valley experiences during Rev. Sandye’s ministry and through it all she survived and thrived with her colorful outfits, red boots and red lipstick.

Rest In Peace Beloved Sister and Friend, Job Well Done!!

 

Canon Annette Buchanan