U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) and Sens. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) announced today that the National Park Service has awarded $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 out its Winning Civil Rights and Political Power program.

“As one of the last Negro League facilities still in existence, Hinchliffe Stadium is an important part of Paterson’s and our nation's past. This federal investment can help further rehabilitate the stadium to its former glory," said Rep. Pascrell, a former Paterson mayor. “Adding Hinchliffe to the boundary of the Great Falls National Park was an significant step that is paying dividends. The Center for Education and Juvenile Justice will be able to ensure continued success with the money it will receive. These grants will allow more people to learn about the African American experience which holds such an hallowed place in our regional and national history.”

"Hinchliffe Stadium was a field of dreams for ballplayers who were judged not by their skill and talent, but by the color of their skin.  I was extremely pleased when Rep. Pascrell, the late-Sen. Frank Lautenberg and I secured Hinchliffe’s designation in 2013 as a National Historic Landmark, and passed legislation with Sen. Booker in 2014 to include the stadium as part of the Paterson Great Falls National Park.  While its very presence reminds us of how far we've come as a nation, rehabilitating Hinchliffe is integral to both preserving the Paterson’s history and moving the city forward,” said Senator Menendez.  “By supporting that effort and the Center for Education and Juvenile Justice in Teterboro, we help ensure the story of New Jersey’s African American experience in the pursuit of civil rights continues to be told.”

 “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 Senator 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.”

“I am excited about receiving $500,000 to continue the renovations at the Historic Hinchliffe Stadium which many of us have enjoyed football games on Thanksgiving Day.   I am uplifted by the continued progress to revitalize Hinchliffe Stadium and all the support from Congressman Pascrell, our Senators, the city and other stakeholders,” said Mayor Jane Williams-Warren.

Congress appropriated funding for the African American Civil Rights Grants Program in 2016 through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). 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.

Grant-supported projects include surveys and documentation, interpretation and education, oral histories, architectural services, historic structure reports, planning, and physical preservation.

Projects in the Ninth Congressional District receiving an African American Civil Rights grants include: