Lawnside was developed in 1840 and incorporated in 1926 as the first independent, self-governing Black municipality north of the Mason–Dixon line.

[23] AME churches were premised on abolition and civil rights, primarily serving former slaves and their descendants.

Additionally, freedmen often sought safety and support by concentrating near Quaker allies, which in the case of Lawnside was the Haddonfield Quaker Society of Friends, with support from the Gloucester County Abolition Society and Vigilant Association of Philadelphia.

[23] In 1840, these latter abolitionists further advanced the settlement by purchasing land to convert into inexpensive lots for sale to African Americans.

The original name of this community, Free Haven, was due to its crucial role as a stop along several routes of the Underground Railroad.

Indeed, the home of Peter Mott, now a nationally recognized refuge of the underground railroad, was saved by the Lawnside Historical Society from demolition in 1992 specifically to preserve this important legacy of the town.

[23][26][27] In 1919, John Lawson, a prominent Philadelphian and recipient of the Medal of Honor for his service during the Civil War, was laid to rest at Mount Peace Cemetery in Lawnside.

The exact reasons behind this location remain uncertain, with possibilities including family connections to Lawnside or the restrictions on burying black veterans in certain Pennsylvania cemeteries at the time.

[28] On March 24, 1926, Governor of New Jersey A. Harry Moore signed into law New Jersey General Assembly Bill 561, dissolving Centre Township, of which Lawnside was a part, and incorporating the Borough of Lawnside, which also included portions of the borough of Barrington.

[29] One month later, on April 20, 1926, an "Official Special Election" was held making Lawnside the first independent, self-governing African American community north of the Mason–Dixon line.

[30] Despite historic discrimination from banks against African Americans, the incorporation of the town as a Black community allowed residents to achieve home ownership with minimal bureaucratic obstacles.

These establishments attracted visitors from across the northeast, offering the opportunity to enjoy performances by influential African American artists and celebrities who were not allowed to play at white establishments, including such superstars as Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, LaWanda Page, Billy Eckstine, Arthur Prysock, and even champion boxers Joe Louis and Jersey Joe Walcott.

[23][31] During the 1960s, Lawnside's young people, influenced by the Civil rights and Black power movements, rebelled against the discrimination they faced at the regional Haddon Heights High School, leading sit-ins, protest marches, and media campaigns, which resulted in changes in school administration, increased representation in student life, the introduction of Black studies courses, and the formation of the Afro-American Cultural Society.

[23] According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.43 square miles (3.70 km2), all of which was land.

[1][2] Lawnside borders the Camden County municipalities of Barrington, Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Magnolia, Somerdale, Tavistock and Voorhees Township.

[46][47] As of 2023[update], the mayor of Lawnside Borough is Democrat Mary Ann Wardlow, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026.

[54] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 1st congressional district is represented by Donald Norcross (D, Camden).

[57] For the 2024-2025 session, the 6th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by James Beach (D, Voorhees Township) and in the General Assembly by Louis Greenwald (D, Voorhees Township) and Pamela Rosen Lampitt (D, Cherry Hill).

[80] In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 92.6% of the vote (1,360 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 5.4% (79 votes), with 1,469 ballots cast among the borough's 1,989 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 73.9.