The National Park Service has awarded more than $500,000 to the City of Paterson through the African-American Civil Rights Grant Program.
The funds will be used to advance the second phase of façade rehabilitation for historic Hinchliffe Stadium. Additionally, $50,000 was awarded to the Center for Education and Juvenile Justice in Teterboro to help grow its Winning Civil Rights and Political Power program.
Congress appropriated funding for the African-American Civil Rights Grants Program in 2016 through the Historic Preservation Fund. The HPF uses revenue from federal oil leases on the outer continental shelf, providing assistance for a broad range of preservation projects without expending tax dollars. For the second year of this grants program, Congress increased funding from $8 million to $13 million in 2017.
“As we reflect on the many challenges our country continues to face, we must also remember just how far we have come by relentlessly defending and advancing the American dream of liberty and justice for all,” said U.S. Sen. Cory Booker. “We all stand on the shoulders of those who fought courageously to elevate the moral conscience of our nation, and this federal investment takes an important step toward honoring, protecting and advancing their legacy, along with recognizing New Jersey’s vital contribution to this journey.”
Built in Paterson in 1932, Hinchliffe Stadium is one of only a few surviving stadiums that hosted Negro League Baseball. The stadium was designated a National Historic Landmark in March 2013. Paterson Mayor Jose Torres has committed to restoring the stadium by the end of 2018.