Underground Railroad Museum’s Wall of Fame Gala Celebrates Trailblazers
Executive Director Deborah Price addresses the crowd during the Underground Railroad Museum’s 2026 Wall of Honor ceremony at Rowan College at Burlington County.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was produced as part of the South Jersey Emerging Journalists Project (SJEJP), an independent initiative dedicated to supporting content creators and emerging journalists from underserved communities across Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland, and Atlantic counties.
BY MILAN PARKER | South Jersey Emerging Journalist Project
MOUNT LAUREL — When the Underground Railroad Museum of Burlington County honors local heroes, the impact doesn’t end when the ceremony ends.
On Feb. 20, the museum inducted six New Jersey trailblazers into its 2026 Wall of Honor during its annual Celebration of Local Heroes and Sheroes in the Arts.
They included Grammy-winning music director Adam Blackstone, gospel singers Tyrone Tribbett and Rev. Sharon G. Lightsey, singer Anthony Clemens, Grammy-nominated singer Dion Ferris, and Burlington County Commissioner Dr. Felicia Hopson.
“We decided not to charge for these events because we’ve already paid the price,” museum director Deborah Price told the crowd of more than 300 people. “It is our responsibility not only to tell, but to own the story.”
The museum operates entirely on donations and volunteers. Founded by Louise M. Calloway, who died in 2023, the museum was created to preserve and share stories of the Underground Railroad and the African diaspora.
Price has carried her legacy forward through a philosophy she calls “Why We Walk,” a framework that shapes everything from weekend tours to major community events.
“We walk to hear the untold stories of the many that fear to tell,” Price told Front Runner New Jersey. “We walk to learn how our ancestors’ roles contributed to the Underground Railroad. We walk to feel what was felt by the many that went before us, if only for a moment.”
For Price, walking embodies much more than the physical.
“Our walk resonates with people across all walks of life, encouraging them to walk with purpose,” she said. “The ability to connect them through historical events and create a bridge that enables those going through the museum to cross into insight and understanding.”
Each timeline in the museum addresses themes of injustice, freedom, voice, and identity.
Caption: Artifacts from the Underground Railroad Museum’s collection on display at the 2026 Wall of Honor ceremony.
Intergenerational pride shaped the evening from the opening prayer through the final benediction. Cameron Avery Roberts, who visited the museum for the first time in 2025, stood at the podium and announced that he was pledging $150 of his own money and committing $150 annually from his business.
“Last year was my first time attending this Black History Month program,” he said, the crowd hanging onto his words. “The museum was powerful. And honestly, a little sad. Not because it wasn’t good, but because I realized how much of this history we are not learning in school.”
Moments earlier, his father, Dr. Sean Roberts, announced a $3,000 family pledge to the Underground Railroad’s donor program, challenging others in the audience to match their contribution.
“History is not something we preserve only in books or museums,” Dr. Roberts said. “It is something we sustain. If we do not invest in it, we risk losing not just the story, but the lessons that shape who we are and who we can become.”
Price knows better than anyone how family connections reflect exactly what the museum is trying to accomplish.
“Whenever we do our Black History Month, we not only celebrate and honor the inductees, we honor the families for their ceaseless support, their spirit, their backing and presence,” she said. “Without them, those inductees could not have achieved their respective accomplishments.”
Even after the stage lights dimmed on Friday night, the impact of intergenerational ties was felt throughout the county.
The legacy of Chief Payton I. Flournoy, Sr., Palmyra’s first Black police chief and a 2024 honoree, continued when his daughter visited the museum the Saturday after the event. After her family was recognized, they began researching more of Flournoy’s history and discovered that he had served among the Montford Point Marines, the first group of Black Marines in the nation.
As a result of the museum’s recognition, Flournoy was posthumously awarded a bronze replica of the Congressional Gold Medal in 2024 for his service.
On the same Saturday as her visit, Flournoy’s daughter became one of the first founding members of the Friends of the Underground Railroad.
“That’s the magic of the museum,” Price said. “People come from around the world – Japan, China, England, the United Nations. We’ve had Harriet Tubman’s cousin in the museum. William Still’s family. The indigenous nations. When they’re in there, I let them take it. Who’s better to hear the stories from than the family members?”
Family remained central throughout the ceremony. Adam Blackstone’s mother spoke about what made her most proud of her Grammy-winning son, and it wasn’t the awards.
“What makes me the proudest is not his Grammy awards or Super Bowl performances, but the man he is,” she said. “His heart. His character. His love, his kindness. The way he loves his family and the way he loves and treats other people.”
Caption: Grammy-winning music director Adam Blackstone embraces his mother after being inducted into the Underground Railroad Museum’s 2026 Wall of Honor.
Samuel C. Still III, third great-grandson of abolitionist William Still, reminded the audience during his opening remarks why the museum’s work matters every day, not just during February. “Black history is not just 28 days out of a year,” he said. “It is 365 days of the year. I live Black history every day of my life.”
As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, the museum is expanding its programming to highlight contributions that have often been overlooked in American history. On June 27, the museum will host its first Declaration Day reenactment honoring Black soldiers across American wars from the Civil War through Vietnam.
“It’s time for us to tell the stories of how soldiers of color contributed,” Price said, noting plans to highlight groups like the Montford Point Marines, the Golden 13, the Triple Nickles, and the Tuskegee Airmen, as well as lesser-known groups like the Army Nurses Corps and individuals who wore uniforms in silence.
The museum’s third annual Juneteenth celebration, “Experience of a Lifetime,” will feature a 3.5-mile historical walk where participants will experience what freedom seekers endured on the trail of the Underground Railroad, complete with storytellers, reenactors, and members of indigenous nations.
Keeping with tradition, the day will end with a gospel concert, “because everything is based on faith,” Price said.
All museum events and tours remain free. “We have the responsibility to continue to know our history and to tell his story, her story, their stories, as well as give voice to the unknown and the unarchivable,” Price said. “We’ve got to keep walking.”
The Underground Railroad Museum of Burlington County is located in Eastampton and welcomes visitors from around the world. For information about upcoming events or to schedule a tour, visit https://hugrrmbc.org/.
Milan Parker is a contributing writer at Front Runner New Jersey as part of the South Jersey Emerging Journalist Project. In her spare time, she enjoys listening to music, shopping for vintage clothing, documenting her life through polaroid photography, and inline skating. She can be reached at milan.parker.sjejp@gmail.com
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