Collection explores N.J.'s African-American history Project to be unveiled at 6 o'clock tonight at Delta's restaurant BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer NEW BRUNSWICK - When LawrenceWalker got tired of feeling frustration over sub-par television portrayals of African-American history, he decided to do something about it. "It's like someone's not hitting home to the nitty-gritty,"Walker said. "When they tell our story, it's commercialized." Tonight, members of the public will have the opportunity to witness the launch of a new portrayal - "Journey to Freedom: African-American life in New Jersey (1638-1932)." The unveiling of the project will take place at Delta's Restaurant, on Dennis Street. The Bridgewater resident partnered with Randall Westbrook and the late Gary Hunter to create the multimedia package, which includes an educational two-disc CD-ROM; "Lest We Forget," a photographic guide to area historic African-American churches; "In Due Season," a photographic and historical guide to African-American cemeteries; and "I Shall Not Be Moved," a CD of 18 songs and poems by the Aaron F. Brown Group that provides a musical look at the struggles of black Americans throughout the years. "The event on the 21st is seven years of my hard work and research," Walker said. Slavery and the Underground Railroad comprise much of the content of "Journey to Freedom." WhenWalker's research began, he intended to document the Underground Railroad from Maine to Florida. After meeting with Charles Blockson, creator and curator of a resource collection of African-American history at Temple University, Walker narrowed his focus. "He said, 'Brother, you live in New Jersey. You've got a lot of history right there,'"Walker said. "The roots of the Underground Railroad run smack through New Jersey." While much of the material in "Journey to Freedom" centers on New Jersey, the package also highlights significant history in New York and Philadelphia. Having worked on three PBS documentaries highlighting African-American heritage, as well as doing freelance camera and editing work for both NBC and CBS, Walker has the experience to go with his passion. In January 2000, he set about conducting extensive research to compile what is now the Lawrence E. Walker Foundation Collection. With more than 3,000 documents, nearly 10,500 photographs and 80 filmed interviews with historians from throughout the tri-state area among its contents, the collection provides a comprehensive view of the black American experience over the past 400 years, Walker said. One of Walker's major goals is to produce a documentary from the collection. Part of his vision for the film includes recruiting such actors as New Jersey native Cecily Tyson and Avery Brooks. "I'd love to use their talents, because I think they'd give me a good background feel," Walker said. Since Walker created Bull's Eye Production Inc. in 1990, the company has produced two documentaries on African- American history. "Paul Robeson: A Commentary" outlines the life of the Princeton-born actor, opera singer, outstanding scholar and athlete who attended Rutgers University; and "To Serve My Country, To Serve My Race" highlights the experiences of African-American women in the military during World War II. The necessary funding for the documentary project Walker currently has in mind is not available yet. "The documentary may or may not happen," Walker said. "I wouldn't mind putting the script in somebody else's hands who is able to do it." Walker, an engineer at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, has not let money stand in the way of his quest to spread knowledge of black history. Throughout his creative endeavors, he spent more than $170,000. "This was funded out of my pocket," Walker said. "Nobody gave me a dime. I figured along the way, someone would see the merits of the work." The dedicated historian visits schools and churches, acting as a storyteller to share the information gathered during his research. He said he would eventually like to make his collection available to the public at an institution that would foster an appreciation for the rich history of African-Americans. For more information on tonight's event, which runs from 6 to 9 p.m., call Delta's Restaurant at (732) 249-1551. To learn more about Lawrence Walker and his work, visit the Web site at http://www.bulls-eyepro.com/.