New Jersey History Day

I Spy Team Jersey in this post from NHD! We are having a great time. Our students are everywhere, trading buttons, presenting projects and exploring the campus and DC. Four projects in Junior Documentary and Junior Performance are moving on to finals! You can view the finalists lists for those two categories here:https://nhd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Junior-Documentary-and-Performance-Finalists-2026.pdf

Congratulations to all of our junior division participants who competed yesterday 🥳 We can’t wait to see the senior division projects today!!!

CONGRATULATIONS to the NJHD students selected for Showcase events at the National Contest an Wednesday, June 17! Naivedya (West-Windsor Plainsboro School North( will be sharing the exhibit "Cleared for Termination: The 1981 PATCO Strike — The Revolution that Reformed the Limits of Collective Action in the United States" at the National Museum of American History. Also at the NMAH, Jasmine (Homeschool/Independent Study) will present her performance "Elizabeth Coleman White and the Reactions to Child Labor at Whitesbog." And at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, Sarah, Ailani, Bilal, and Felicity from Rosa International School will screen their documentary "Forgotten Revolutionary—Martyr of a Cause: Octavius Catto's Ride for Justice." If you're in town, drop in to cheer these students on!

National History Day Celebrates 109 Student Projects Showcased at Cultural Institutions in Washington, D.C. - National History Day National History Day® (NHD) is proud to announce a slate of student showcases at cultural institutions in Washington, D.C., during its 2026 National Contest. 195 students and 109 student historical research projects–from papers and documentaries to performances and tabletop exhibits, and now webs...

We need you! NJHD is preparing for our State Contest on Saturday, May 2. We are looking for volunteer judges to join us. If you love history, helping students learn and grow, and spending a rewarding day with like-minded people, please join us! We provide breakfast and lunch, all the training you'll need, and CEU hours for eligible educators. Judging History Day is a great way to share the love of history with the next generation. To learn more, visit our judges' page at: https://www.wpunj.edu/coe/departments/professional-development-school-community-partnership/njhistory/judges.

To sign up, go right to our contest website (https://nj.nhd.org/) and create a registration , or email [email protected].

We would love to welcome you to the NJHD community!

Remembering Paul Robeson: A New Jersey Legend

Today in history: On April 9, 1898, Paul Leroy Robeson was born in Princeton, New Jersey.

He was a man of extraordinary, multi-faceted talent. Entering Rutgers University in 1915 as only the third African American student in the school's history, he excelled in almost every arena. He became an All-American player for the Scarlet Knights football team, lettered in multiple other sports, and graduated as the class valedictorian in 1919. From there, he went on to earn his law degree from Columbia Law School.

While he possessed a brilliant legal mind, Robeson is perhaps best remembered for his immense artistic gifts. He built a massive international career as a singer and actor in both theater and cinema, becoming renowned worldwide for his deep, powerful bass-baritone voice and his commanding stage presence.

Beyond his art, Robeson was a fierce and unwavering activist. He used his global platform to speak out against social injustices, Fascism, and segregation, while also becoming politically involved during the Spanish Civil War. Unfortunately, his outspoken advocacy and political affiliations made him a primary target during the McCarthy era. He was severely blacklisted, his passport was revoked for eight years, and his career was drastically impacted.

Today, we remember his incredible resilience and his immense contributions to the arts, athletics, and the fight for civil rights.

Send us your pix! Did you take some good shots at a Regional Contest? Have some images of you and your team working away on your entry? Please send any pics you'd like to share to [email protected]. You might just see them show up at the State Contest!

Workshopping designs for this year's trading buttons. Which one do you like best?