Black history in Atlantic City, New Jersey
African Americans make up more than a third of Atlantic City, New Jersey's population. Sarah Spencer Washington was a successful businesswoman and community leader.[1] James Leroy Usry was the city's first Black mayor. Fannie Lou Hamer spoke at the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City.[2] Richlyn Faye Goddard wrote about the community[2] and carried out oral history interviews.[3]
African Americans came to Atlantic City in substantial numbers during the Great Migration. They were relegated to the city's north side.[4]
Publications included Black Atlantic City Magazine from 1979 to 1986. It was renamed Black New Jersey Magazine in 1987 and was published until 1990.[2] The Atlantic Advocate was a newspaper ca. 1915 edited and published by James A. Garfield Lightfoot, a lawyer.[5] Its address was documented as 40 North Indiana Avenue.[6] Lightfoor's law partner was Isaac Henry Nutter.[5] Nutter and Lightfoot were graduates of Howard University.[5]
After 1900, Black beachgoers were limited to Missouri Avenue Beach. The New Jersey State Library posted a video about the beach on YouTube.[7]
C. Morris Cain was active in the community.[4] The six-story Liberty Hotel on Baltic Avenue served Black customers after segregation was imposed during the Jim Crow era.[4] Dick Austin, an immigrant from the West Indies, owned Dick Austin's Rose Garden and homes he rented to vacationing tourists.[4] Club Harlem was a thriving entertainment venue.[4]
The Works Project Administration conducted studies and published on "Negro" life in New Jersey including a "History of the Negro Church in New Jersey". The Organization of Teachers of Colored Children in the State of New Jersey met in Atlantic City.[2]
The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey is in Atlantic City.
References[edit]
- ^ "Online Exhibits". www.atlanticcityexperience.org.
- ^ a b c d "The Atlantic City Free Public Library - African American History in Atlantic City". www.acfpl.org.
- ^ "The Atlantic City Free Public Library - Dr. Richlyn Goddard "Northside History" Oral History Project". acfpl.org.
- ^ a b c d e "Atlantic City's Northside". Google Arts & Culture.
- ^ a b c Smith (Jr.), John Clay (September 16, 1999). Emancipation: The Making of the Black Lawyer, 1844-1944. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 0812216857 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Negro Year Book: An Annual Encyclopedia of the Negro". Sunday school union print. September 16, 1912 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Chicken Bone Beach: A Pictorial History of Atlantic City's Missouri Avenue Beach" – via www.youtube.com.