Independent Arts News Reporting Spoken Words Open Mic Night Celebrating Historic District in Princeton
Reported Monday, June 9, 2025.
Pictured Above: Celebrate the voices of Princeton’s historic Witherspoon-Jackson community alongside US Senator Andy Kim. Photo Credit: Contributed.
NEWSROOM POST: PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
Copies of all three books will be available for purchase and signing at the event.
Princeton, NJ – The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) invites the public to an evening of heartfelt storytelling, community connection, and reflection at an Open Mic Evening on Friday, June 20 in celebration of the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood, Princeton’s 20th Historic District.
The evening will begin at 6pm with remarks from special guest U.S. Senator Andy Kim, followed by readings from Reverend Gregory S. Smith. To follow, performers are invited to participate in an open mic session, sharing their own spoken word pieces and poems inspired by the spirit of the Witherspoon-Jackson community.
This free event will feature the rerelease of Rev Smith’s Reflections from a Vibrant Past, Volume I and the launch of Volume II, books of poetry inspired by the neighborhood. He shares, “This book forced me to reflect upon stories and memories of people that were encapsulated in the edges of my mind. I wondered for many years ‘what purpose does it serve?’ Now I know. I hope that this book will inspire people to reflect on their own life stories to the people who made it possible for them to be who they are today!”
In addition, The Witherspoon-Jackson Neighborhood: How One Community Changed Princeton, a new publication by ACP Executive Director Adam Welch, will be available for purchase at the event or ahead of time via preorder on the Arts Council’s website. Welch states, “When I set out to create a kind of illustrated people’s history of the neighborhood in Princeton, New Jersey, I underestimated the emotional and enthusiastic response it would receive. What began as a desire to better know the community where I work and with whom I collaborate, resulted in a textured genealogical collage spanning centuries. This document is created in the spirit of the pamphleteer, through the carefully curated lens of the artistic/guerrilla-style ZINE. At least this is where it began.”
Witherspoon-Jackson is a community rich in cultural and historical significance. Throughout the years, the W-J Neighborhood has been a vital part of the fabric of our town, with its important legacy kept alive, in part, through the work of the ACP and Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society.
Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. For more information, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org or call 609-924-8777.
About the Arts Council of Princeton
The Arts Council of Princeton, a non-profit organization founded in 1967, fulfills its mission of building community through the arts by presenting a wide range of programs including public art projects, exhibitions, performances, free community cultural events, and studio-based classes and workshops. Arts Council of Princeton programs are designed to be high-quality, engaging, affordable and accessible for the diverse population in the greater Princeton region. To learn more, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org or follow @artscouncilofprinceton.
