The African American community has been a vital presence in Princeton since the late seventeenth century. Many were slaves who worked on large farms and in homes. Later many came as servants with the students at Princeton University.

A free black community in Princeton dates back to 1700's. By the early 1900's there was an extremely active black business community: florists, barber shops, beauty salons, candy stores, restaurants, clothing stores, and taxi services, as well as carpenters, teachers, lawyers, and physicians.

Because Princeton was a Jim Crow town, the colored population was not able to shop in certain stores, eat at restaurants or attend many social establishments so there were many Negro businesses and establishments in the area from Nassau Street to Birch Avenue.

There was a newspaper that existed for many years in the Princeton Community called The Citizen. It was published every Friday at 9 Witherspoon Street by W. H. DePaur, Publisher, and Henry J. Austin, the local Editor. The subscription was $1.00 per year or 5 cents a single copy. The Citizen was a weekly newspaper dedicated to the moral, intellectual and industrial improvement of the Negro race. Many businessmen advertised in the paper, including R.E. Hall who had a grocery store on Witherspoon Street and Benjamin Robeson who advertised for General Cellar Cleaning.

The Black community was concentrated between Jackson Street (now Paul Robeson Place) and Birch Avenue. Black families also lived in the areas of Battle Road, on Edgehill Road, and Nassau Street.

Princeton's African American community has withstood segregated schooling and establishments, limited employment opportunities, escalating housing costs, and the subtle but powerful effects of racial discrimination.

The memories of struggle, and of past accomplishments remind everyone that progress is an on-going process that must be taken on by new generations to come.