The library jazz concert series concludes with a performance by the Michael Pedicin Music Quintet. A tenor saxophonist and composer, Pedicin has performed with musical giants such as Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, David Bowie, Lou Rawls, The O’Jays, Maynard Ferguson, Dave Brubeck, Peter Erskine, Stanley Clarke, The Funk Brothers, Gino Vannelli and Pat Martino. Last year the group released Everything Starts Now, combining elements from the greatest music of the past while presenting its own musical visions in original and compelling fashion. Blending selflessness and individuality, virtuosity and straightforward musicality, total accessibility and adventurous exploration, splendid interplay and palpably exciting solo excursions, the Pedicin Quintet has created a work of art in the purest context of the classic jazz tradition. Please visit www.michaelpedicin.com for more information about Pedicin.
For more information about this concert series, please call (609) 345-2269, ext. 3112.

• Atlantic City Free Public Library Living History Project, 1977-1978 (H040)
• Dr. James R. Karmel Atlantic City Project Oral History Interviews, 2002-2005 (H005)
• Dorothy J. Beatty “Black History of Atlantic City” Oral History Project (H057)

Local History Biography Files include information, such as newspaper clippings and photographs, about some of the interviewees and the people to whom they refer in the interviews. Local History Subject Files include information about the subjects to which they refer in the interviews. Also check the Library Catalog for other biographies of Atlantic City residents and people with connections to Atlantic City.

Processing Note: The collection is processed. Finding aid written by Heather Halpin Pérez, archivist, December 2009.

Copyright Notice: The Atlantic City Free Public Library holds the copy and reproduction rights for these oral history interviews. Please consult with ACFPL Heston Collection staff before copying or duplicating any materials from this collection.

LIST OF NARRATORS

Narrators are listed alphabetically. A brief biographical description is also included, along with the date of the interview and the availability of audio (and length of the interview), transcript, or photographs.

1. Bacharach, Howard. Executive Director of the Atlantic City Hotel & Lodging Association. (11 July 2008; audio and video, 1:04:17; transcript)
2. Berg, Robert. Officer with Atlantic City Police Department and former dealer at Tropicana. (10 September 2008; audio, 1:00:50; transcript)
3. Carver, Tom. Executive Director of CRDA. (27 June 2008; audio and video, 1:16:54; transcript)
4. Cheatham, Bill. President of Board of Trustees of Atlantic City Free Public Library and toll collector for South Jersey Transit Authority. (7 August 2008; audio and video, 1:21:31; transcript)
   
5. Cook, Rosemarie. Director of training at Borgata, former educator (26 July 2008; audio and video, 1:29:22; transcript)
6. D’Andrea, Elizabeth. 30-year employee at Resorts, present on opening day. (07 November 2008; audio and video, 1:04:43; transcript)
7. Dougherty, Frank. Proprietor of Dock’s Oyster House and Knife and Fork Restaurant. (5 August 2008, audio and video, 1:00:08; transcript) *Note: James Latz, former owner of the Knife and Fork, was interviewed for the 1978 ACFPL Living History Project.
8. Fischer, Charles. Botanist and part-owner of Fischer’s Flowers. (9 July 2008; audio and video, 1:14:21; transcript) *Note: Dr. Fischer’s father was interviewed for the 1978 ACFPL Living History Project.
9. Gormley, Bill. Former New Jersey State Senator. (23 July 2008; audio and video, 1:10:06; transcript)
10. Griffin, Jean. Restaurateur, former professor at University of Massachusetts, Boston. (31 July 2008; audio and video, 1:09:30; transcript)
11. Hart, Audrey. Owner of Miss Audrey’s Human Connection and local community activist. (25 June 2008; audio and video, 1:27:30; transcript)
12. Hudgins, Barbara. Former Atlantic City councilwoman and educator in Atlantic City schools. (10 July 2008; audio and video, 1:30:51; transcript)
13. Johnson, Patricia. Atlantic City native and long-time employee of Bally’s. (13 August 2008; audio and video, 1:21:34; transcript)
14. Langford, Lorenzo. Former mayor of Atlantic City and current candidate for mayor. (26 June 2008; audio and video, 1:28:52; transcript)
15. Mooney, Michael. Atlantic City Fire Department Battalion Chief. (6 November 2008; audio and video, 1:15:29; transcript)
16. Muñoz, Lydia. Social worker, CEO of Spanish Community Centers of Landisville, Vineland and Atlantic City. (7 August 2008; audio and video, 1:07:12; transcript)
17. Nicole. Teenager from Atlantic City, member of the Library’s Teen Advisory Group (27 July 2008; audio, 40:54; transcript)
    
18. Norton, Steve. Former casino executive with Resorts. (24 June 2008; audio and video, 2:25:20; transcript)
    
19. Palmer, Dr. Walter. Atlantic City native, community health specialist and social activist, founder of Palmer Foundation at University of Pennsylvania. (4 August 2008; audio and video, 1:31:42; transcript)
20. Patterson, Russelle. AC Police Department Traffic Control Officer, Chelsea neighborhood leader, former cocktail waitress at Tropicana. (30 July 2008; audio and video, 1:22:58; transcript) *Note: Ms. Patterson was also interviewed for Dr. Karmel’s Atlantic City Project Oral History Interviews.
    
21. Prem. Teenager from Atlantic City, member of the Library’s Teen Advisory Group (27 July 2008; audio, 40:54; transcript)
    
22. Pergament, Allen “Boo”. Local historian and life-long area resident. (11 July 2008; audio and video, 1:09:05; transcript)
    
23. Ramos, Miriam. Bally’s Guest Room Attendant, Local 54 member and advocate. (25 August 2008; audio and video, 1:05:31; transcript)
    
24. Rashid, Mohammad Haroon. Small businessman and leader in local Muslim community. (14 August 2008; audio and video, 1:21:57; transcript)
    
25. Shelton, Henrietta. President of Chicken Bone Beach Historical Foundation and technical editor at the FAA Hughes Center. (25 July 2008; audio and video, 1:20:27; transcript)
    
26. Southrey, Bill. Director of the Atlantic City Rescue Mission. (8 August 2008; audio and video, 1:20:08; transcript)
    
27. Travis. Teenager from Atlantic City, member of the Library’s Teen Advisory Group (27 July 2008; audio, 40:54; transcript)
    
28. Ward, Bruce. Lawyer, community leader and councilman for 1st Ward. (1 October 2008; audio and video, 1:32:56; transcript)
    
29. Williams, Bruce. Atlantic City native, chef, current cook at Bobby Flay (Borgata). (30 July 2008; audio and video, 1:14:22; transcript)
    
30. Wyatt, Tanya. Long-time resident of Atlantic City and Caesar’s casino employee. (25 July 2008; audio and video, 1:32:56; transcript)
    
31. Zehrer, Sister Shamus. Educator and principal of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church School. (13 August 2008; audio and video, 1:03:54; transcript)
    
32. Zeitz, Carl. Former Casino Control Commission member. (24 July 2008; audio and video, 1:26:21; transcript)

The Atlantic City Free Public Library held the grand opening for its second location, the Atlantic City Library Express at 3001 Atlantic Avenue, on Thursday, April 22.

The Atlantic City Free Public Library now has a Career Center online to help connect you with quality employment resources.  Visit us online or in the library to see what we can do for you.

The Career Center is designed to help those seeking employment with everything from choosing a career to nailing the interview.  Check out the website to find free online resources to assist you with the employment process as well as databases available to those with a library card.

Inside the library you will find books to support your goals.  Find books on choosing a career, studying for civil service exams, resume writing, starting a small business and so much more.

If you are overwhelmed by the thought of creating an email account, uploading a resume or applying for a job online (as all of the Atlantic City Casinos now require) librarians are here to help.  Stop by or call the reference desk to schedule an appointment for individual assistance with our Personal Librarian Service.

Date: 1977-1978
Collection Number: H040

Extent: 2.0 cubic feet (68 interviews)

Repository: Alfred M. Heston Collection, Atlantic City Free Public Library, 1 North Tennessee Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, (609) 345-2269.

Preferred Citation: <interview name>, Atlantic City Free Public Library Living History Project, Alfred M. Heston Collection, Atlantic City Free Public Library.

Creator:
The Atlantic City Free Public Library (ACFPL) conducted oral history interviews in 1978, at the advent of casino gambling in Atlantic City. The interviews were conducted with grant funding from the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), a program of the United States Department of Labor.

The 68 interviewees represented Atlantic City’s culturally and economically diverse citizens - small business owners, lifetime residents, city government officials, transients, school teachers, and local celebrities. The interviewees were chosen based on their experiences in Atlantic City, as well as their backgrounds and careers. Interviews focused on the history of the city, the interviewees’ relationship to the city, and their thoughts on the future of the city.

ACFPL employee Cynthia Ringe was the project supervisor and conducted most of the interviews, with project assistants Marie Cooney and Sandra Miller. Dian Spitler, ACFPL Reference Librarian, summed up the purpose of the Living History Project: "[The Oral History Project serves] to capture the color and the atmosphere and the flavor of the times...[T]he way it felt to be alive at a time when the city was the Queen of Resorts...[W]e are going to shift our focus and start capturing now – ...the people like me, like you, who are watching the city go through its other transformation into, we hope again, the Queen of Resorts, and the city will be known all over the world again, with good connotations."

• earliest memories of Atlantic City
• important events in Atlantic City (Miss America Pageant, fires, storms, World War II)
• places and businesses in Atlantic City (Steel Pier, Traymore, Marlborough-Blenheim, Dennis, Fralinger’s Salt Water Taffy, 500 Club, 1 Atlantic Ocean, White House Sub Shop, Gormley Funeral Home, Fischer Flowers, Atlantic City schools)
• prominent people in Atlantic City (Nucky Johnson, Dean Martin, Jerry Lee Lewis, Hap Farley, other frequent celebrities and performers and local politicians)
• predictions for the future of Atlantic City in the casino era.

• Chris Columbo, renowned musician at the Club Harlem: "In my early days in Atlantic City it was just a whole lot of fun, because we had a city that you didn’t have to have a key to the front door. No one ever locked their doors."
• Franklin W. Kemp, Atlantic City Fire Department Chief and author: "[T]oday, in 1978, there’s nothing remaining in [the St. Charles Place] area. It’s all been torn down by Urban Renewal." Frank Havens, photographer for the City of Atlantic City: "With the advent of gambling ...we’re going to have to find many more ways to entertain the people who come here when they are not gambling, or when they have their families with them..."
• Joseph Hackney, local resident, born in 1898: "I don’t hesitate to say that the future of Atlantic City is so good that these people that talk about 'They can't do this' and 'They won't be able to do that' are talking through their hats...[W]ith what we have, the best city in the country, we won't have any trouble."

System of Arrangement:
The interviews are arranged alphabetically by the interviewee's last name. Seven anonymous interviews are at the end of the 61 other interviews. A complete list of the interviewees is included, with brief biographical information and interview content. Notes and subject terms were added by the ACFPL project staff in 1978.

Because the audio recordings are fragile, only the paper transcripts may be consulted in the Heston Room, unless special advance arrangements are made with Heston Room staff to listen to the audio recordings. Please contact Heston Room staff for more information.

OTHER INFORMATION FOR USERS OF THE COLLECTION

Subject Access Points:
Atlantic City (N.J.) – History
Crime – Atlantic City – New Jersey
Diving Horse
Oral History – New Jersey – Atlantic City
Salt Water Taffy – History
Tourism – History – New Jersey – Atlantic City

Atlantic City Beach Patrol
Atlantic City Free Public Library
Atlantic City Post Office
Fischer Flowers – New Jersey – Atlantic City
Fralinger’s Salt Water Taffy – New Jersey – Atlantic City
Gormley Funeral Home – New Jersey – Atlantic City
Knife and Fork Inn – New Jersey – Atlantic City
Kornblau’s Restaurant – New Jersey – Atlantic City
White House Sub Shop – New Jersey – Atlantic City

Casey, William F.
Colombo, Chris
Davis, Ed
Hackney, Joseph
Havens, Frank
Wise, Leo

Related Materials:
The Alfred M. Heston Collection houses other oral history collections related to Atlantic City and its residents. These collections include:

• Dr. James R. Karmel Atlantic City Project Oral History Interviews, 2002-2006 (Collection H005)
• Dorothy J. Beatty "Black History of Atlantic City" Oral History Project (H057)
• "30 Years, 30 Voices" Atlantic City Free Public Library Oral History Project, 2008 (H064)

1. Basile, Anthony. Co-owner of White House Sub Shop. Born in Atlantic City in 1926. Father came to Atlantic City about 1903. History of submarine sandwich. Famous visitors to sub shop.
2. Binder, Leon. Resident of Atlantic City for fifty years. Owner of grocery store. Memories of former days, Nucky Johnson, celebrities, etc.
3. Borzellino, Joseph. Eighty-five year old resident of Atlantic City. Former barber, with many memories of early Atlantic City. Transcription not completed and tape is unavailable.
4. Casey, William F., Maj. Resident of Atlantic City since 1918. City Commissioner from 1934 to 1968. Very active in town. Stories of early Atlantic City, churches, various mayors, landmarks, etc.
5. Columbo, Chris. Resident of Atlantic City since age nine. Top musician of town for many years. Drummer at Club Harlem. Memories of famous musicians who appeared here. Also talks about prejudice in the old days and now. Discusses the future of Atlantic City.
6. Crim, Barbara. Principal clerk, ACFPL. Resident of Atlantic City since 1920. Memories of N.J. Avenue School, ACHS, Inlet Neighborhood, Great Depression. Side 1 transcribed only. Side 2 has no volume.
7. Cunningham, Eleanor. Formerly with ACFPL. Resident of Atlantic City nearly fifty years. Memories of Thornton Wilder, early days of Library, etc.
8. Davis, Ed. Radio announcer for WFPG. Many memories of Steel Pier, Steeplechase Pier, etc. Celebrities on the Piers, and on the radio, night clubs, much of the entertainment world.
9. Dichter, Herman. Russian immigrant in 1906; moved to Atlantic City in 1922. Meat salesman, cigar store owner, then small hotel owner. Father of Shirley Gordon and Ruth Raphel. Origin of Gordon’s Children Shop and Gordon’s Alley.
10. Fischer, Charles. Owner of Fischer Flowers. Born in Atlantic City 1898, father born 1867 in Atlantic City. 5 generations of Fischer’s in Atlantic City. Raising and selling flowers means of livelihood since 1876. History of same.
11. Fixler, Abe. Bar owner. Resident of Atlantic City since 1949. Milk business and bar business.
12. Fox, Mildred. Hotel owner. Resident of Atlantic City for 45 years. Now employed at Sheraton Seaside Hotel as hotel executive. Worked for many years for Senior Citizens and has many stories about that. Also stories of the war years in the hotel business. 2nd side: Ada Taylor Sackett, Hotel Skills Contest.
13. Gaines, Norman. (SEE ALSO: Weekes, Primrose) Employee of Fralinger’s Salt Water Taffy. Born 1901. Origin of name "salt water taffy". History of Macaroons.
14. Ginnetti, Frances. Came to Atlantic City in 1929. Rex Restaurant. Bio Guest House. Built A.C's first motel, John’s Motel. Gives good reasons for decline of Atlantic City.
15. Gormley, Helen M. Owner of Gormley Funeral Home, and her father was before her. She is 67 years old, born and raised in Atlantic City. Stories of accidents, embalming, Gypsy funerals, her marriage to Tom Stafford, a landscape engineer, during the war, etc.
16. Greenburg, Milton. President, Atlantic City Jitneyman’s Association. Memories of early jitneys, celebrities, future of Atlantic City as per jitney business, etc.
17. Gundaker, George. Born and raised in Atlantic City. Presently employed at Rock and Shell Shop on Boardwalk. Many memories of Ducktown, the Inlet, clammers, fishing boars, many landmarks.
18. Hackney, Joseph. Born in Atlantic City in 1898. Great sportsman and has many stories of sports, championships, etc., mainly swimming and diving. Worked on Steel Pier diving for thirty years. Memories of Miss America Pageant parades, etc. Tried to cross country on bike. Worked in lumberyards in Mid-west. Thoughts of a very great future for Atlantic City.
19. Hamm, Arneita. Born 1901 in Atlantic City. Third grade teacher for 48 years. Memories of her early childhood, Asbury Methodist Church and its early ministers, her early school classes.
20. Harris, Frances. Born and raised in Atlantic City. Waitress for many years in and around Atlantic City. Some recollections of celebrities.
21. Havens, Frank. Photographer for the City of Atlantic City for the past 40 years. School day memories. Stories of run runners in Atlantic City as seen first-hand by him. Dance contests and marathons during the Depression days. Most interesting stories of the Piers in Atlantic City, and their various entertainment. Excellent ideas for the Piers of the future, as gambling becomes more prevalent, the entertainment, etc. History of Atlantic City Convention Hall, all of its rooms, the organ, the height, space, etc. How he first began in the photography business. 
    
22. Hinton, Ruth S. Atlantic City native – born here in 1902. Black school teacher. Gives good history of Christ Memorial M.E. Zion Church, the two YWCAs, the two YMCAs, the "Philosophian Club", and her teaching experiences. Also names many of her grade and high school teachers.
23. Hires, Frank. Born in Atlantic City in 1907, and raised here and in Pleasantville. Former Atlantic City Press Editor. Memories of his father’s and grandfather’s day on a farm, political figures that he knew well (Nucky Johnson, Hap Farley, Mayor Stoley, and many more). Early days of Atlantic City, fires, storm of 1944, some funny newspaper stories.
    
24. Hoffman, Reuben. Born here in 1904 and raised here. Stories of early schooldays and first jobs. His father and grandfather were in the hardware business, as he is today. Memories of the 1944 hurricane; hardware prices of today, as compared to yesteryear, etc.
25. Hume, Marvin. Came to Atlantic City as a youngster, from Collingswood, NJ. Has been on the Boardwalk 21 years with Rock and Shell shop. Memories of storms, customers, etc.
26. Johnson, May Ackerman. President, Board of Trustees, Atlantic City Free Public Library. Former member of Atlantic City Hotel Association. Former hotel owner. Resident of A.C. for over fifty years. Memories of hotel business, through World War II, etc.
27. Kammerman, Leslie. Lifetime resident of Atlantic City. Many memories of early Atlantic City, the Inlet, where he was born and raised; characters he has known, the storm of 1944 and others. Also politicians, such as Nucky Johnson, Mayor Altman, Hap Farley, and others. Memories of the twenties when the well-to-do inhabited the Inlet – fishing trips on their yachts, etc. also his views on the future of Atlantic City, as far as the “Plains”, the Inlet, etc.
28. Kato, George. Japanese owner of Nikko Shop on the Boardwalk. Many stories of early Atlantic City, his father’s coming here from Japan, the hurricane of 1944, the Piers, World War II and the investigation of the Japanese.
29. Kauffman, Herman. Born here in 1914, and grew up here in the fish business, first with his father and now on his own. Many stories about the early days of fishing, fishing boards, the New Haul on Million Dollar Pier, etc.
30. Kemp, Franklin W. Resident of Atlantic City since the twenties. Senior Deputy Chief of Atlantic City Fire Department, author of the book, Fire-fighting By the Seashore. Recollections of the early horse and wagons in the Fire Department, the Volunteer Fire Fighters, great fires in Atlantic City, etc.
31. Kilcher, Walter. Born here in 1919, he is now owner of the Copenhagen Pastry Shop. Gives the history of his baking business. Tells of his childhood.
32. Kornblau, Joe. Owner of Kornblau’s Restaurant. (He came over here in 1947, a 4 times refugee.) He gives the restaurant’s history (his uncle founded it in 1924). Talks about the decline and deterioration of Boardwalk and Atlantic City.
33. Latz, James. Owner of Knife and Fork Inn, born and raised here. Memories of early childhood, childhood pranks, horseback riding on the beach, canoeing around the island. Prices in the early days and problems with rationing during the war, Nucky Johnson, celebrities who visited the Knife and Fork, etc.
34. Leonard, Theodore. Former boxer, bantam weight champ 1925 to 1932. Settled in Atlantic City in 1918. His mother owned a hotel-boarding home. Interesting stories about that. Memories of fighters here, celebrities; also politicians that he knew.
35. Levan, Russell. Resident of Atlantic City since early childhood, in 1925. Has held many different jobs – stagehand on Steel Pier, policeman, merchant, beach chair concessionaire, etc. Now has bike rental business. Many memories of early Atlantic City, celebrities, piers, black entertainers, etc.
36. McCabe, Joseph, Jr. Expert on theater. Many stories about Broadway tryouts in Atlantic City, celebrities. Tells a story of the disappearance of Judge Crater. Memories of his schooldays here in 1917, and his early jobs.
37. Malag, Moe. Resident of Atlantic City for nearly sixty years. Currently an investigator for the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission. Basketball official from 1932-1954. Discussion about liquor, gambling licenses, etc.
38. Pileggi, Peter. Manager of White House Sub Shop. Tells of his childhood, neighborhood, etc. Famous patrons of sub shop.
39. Pozgar, Frank. Owner of Frank’s X-tra Dry Bar and Restaurant. Resident of Atlantic City for thirty years. Memories of bar characters and celebrities.
40. Prague, George. Resident of Atlantic City since 1917. Construction Operating Engineer in town. Memories of the storms, the piers, characters in town, the old Railroad Station, etc.
41. Primrose, Dolly. (SEE ALSO: Gaines, Weeks) Employee of Fralinger’s Salt Water Taffy. Talks about "1 Atlantic Ocean," Captain Young’s (her uncle) home.
42. Pulliam, Elizabeth. Resident of Atlantic City since age of five. Schoolday memories, early girlhood and womanhood. She was with Girl Scouts, YWCA, and an organist with the Westminster Presbyterian Church. Discussion on War years, segregation, children of today and yesterday. Times on the beach and the Piers, etc.
43. Ringe, Cynthia (and Spitler, Dian). Talks about this Living History Project, the proposed building of a new library. This is a radio interview taped from WFPG Information Central with Howard Berger. Dian Spitler, Reference Librarian, is also on this tape.
44. Rogers, Willard Mason. Born in Atlantic City in 1910. Tells about his early days in Atlantic City, his childhood, high school days. Related to Mason family – gives brief genealogy (he was nephew of Dr. Willard Mason, a prominent doctor). Mentions "Six Foot Liz", "Big Boy Williams", etc.
45. Samaha, Frank. Born in 1899 in Atlantic City. Fifty years in radio as an engineer in town. Also worked in early TV here. Went to sea many times, but doesn’t talk much about that in interview. Mostly stories concerning radio. Good history of Admiral Byrd’s first trip to South Pole. Stories of working with celebrities on radio. Easter Parade, Boardwalk shows, all the Piers. Memories of old hurricanes. Also early churches, and Miss America Pageant.
46. Sayles, Jordan E. Waiter at Dennis Hotel for 20 years; Marlborough-Blenheim 26 years. Stories of his early days in Atlantic City since 1921. Many stories of hotel business, celebrities, politics, the youth of today and yesterday, the future of Atlantic City.
47. Schwickerath, Frank, Jr. Jeweler on Boardwalk. Family in business since 1893. Many stories of the idle rich, hotels, auctioneers, early childhood days of fishing with his grandfather, also rumrunners, politicians. A very interesting and complete picture of early Atlantic City. Also his views of gambling, past and present and in the future.
48. Scott, John, Jr. 78 year old resident. Jitney driver for 52 years. Many memories of the past, present and future of Atlantic City.
49. Sharbrough, David. Twenty year resident of Atlantic City. Memories of Piers, hotels, entertainers, Police Department, transportation. He worked in many hotels here in town.
50. Silverman, Mrs. Herman. Visitor of Atlantic City 56 years. Resident for 35 years. Memories of early hotels, from a Jewish viewpoint. Kosher hotels. Also early gambling rooms and clubs, entertainers she knew. Fishing days. Discussion of what will become of Atlantic City now that gambling is here.
51. Singer, Sarah. (transcribed from radio interview with Al Berger) Civic leader, former Head of Atlantic City Board of Education, Trustee of Atlantic City Free Public Library. Lots of local history, people, landmarks, etc.
52. Solitaire, Eddie. Member of Atlantic City Beach Patrol for 45 years, starting in 1929. History of same. Also history of lifeboats, lifeguard stands, swimming rescues, shark scares, jellyfish. Tells about "Pegleg Ireland," "Six Foot Liz," "Big Iz Dowdy". Father was Dapper Dan Mitch Solitaire (assistant to Mayor Bader and Nucky Johnson), also a rumrunner. Grandfather was Samuel Solitaire.
53. Spitler, Dian. (SEE: Ringe, Cynthia) Radio tape from WFPG Information Central. Talks about this Living History Project and the proposed building of a new library. Dian was the Reference Librarian of the Atlantic City Free Public Library.
54. Stein, Hettie. 85-year resident of Atlantic City. Small hotel business. Memories of Steel Pier in early days, schooldays, etc.
55. Thomas, William J., Jr. Employee of Atlantic City Post Office since World War II. Memories of North Side entertainment, celebrities on the Piers, schooldays, etc.
56. Tolin, Charles. Born in Atlantic City April 1, 1910. Memories of the town and how it was when he was growing up and going to school here. He mentions many of his classmates, and where they are today. Stories about scrap business, which he is in, as was his grandfather and father before him. Story about his son overseas with the CIA, and how he left this country disgusted with the Establishment. Speaks of how the hotels will be wrecked, many beautiful things destroyed, as was the Traymore.
57. Van Kirk, E. Rae. Born in Atlantic City in 1894, worked for Atlantic City Press and the Dorland Agency. Very good early memories: Boardwalk fire 1902, 1906 train wreck, 1918 flu epidemic, history of Press and its owners, Milk and Ice Fund Bouts, trolleys, sand artists, etc.
58. Weekes, Calvin. (SEE ALSO: Gaines, Primrose) Employee of Fralinger’s Salt Water Taffy. Atlantic City native. Tells about the making of macaroons: the ingredients and the procedure.
59. White, Marian. Waitress for many years at Haddon Hall. Tells of her experiences there: dormitory life, eccentric patrons, celebrities, marvelous kitchen, etc.
60. Wise, Leo. Resident of Atlantic City since 1911. Former baseball star here in town. Many memories of early Atlantic City.
61. Wolfe, Gerda. Immigrant from Germany in 1952. Nurse at Shore Memorial Hospital, Atlantic City Medical Center. Memories of past nursing experiences, doctors, nursing compared to Germany, future of Atlantic City, etc.

1. Bill. Head of Major Crimes in Atlantic City. Born in 1930 and raised here. Stories of crime, grizzly murders, schooldays, gangs, etc.
2. Camden. "Camden" is the nickname of an Atlantic City cab driver. Tells the history of Atlantic City cabs; also his experience in the WPA during depression. Tells of some unusual cab patrons.
3. Chester. Born and raised in Atlantic City. Stories of early childhood, schooldays, and his working days as a bartender and manager. Stories of 500 Club, politicians (Nucky Johnson, Two-Gun Taggart, Hap Farley, etc.). How Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis got together. Information on gambling and prostitution in early days.
4. Ed. Lifetime resident of Atlantic City – eighty years. Recollections of early Atlantic City, transportation, politics, landmarks, etc.
5. Johnny. Born in Vineland, New Jersey, now resident of Atlantic City. Former roofer, now unemployed alcoholic. Discussion about the town in general, and the future of Atlantic City.
6. Margaret. Tells about her prominent family (they came to Atlantic City in 1911). Tells also of eccentric characters: Bill Sunday (evangelist), prohibition, Grey Ladies of England General Hospital, Red Cross, Leeds family.
7. Mrs. X. Black school teacher. Taught kindergarten for thirty years in Atlantic City. Father was a physician. Stories of early days in Atlantic City, school, etc. Origin of Fay-Mor-Wee home. 2nd side not transcribed.

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Author and former Atlantic City resident Angeline Bandon-Bibum will appear at the Atlantic City Free Public Library at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, to read from her novel, Sojourner's Dream.

Bandon-Bibum, who resides in Silver Spring, Maryland, graduated from Atlantic City High School in 1984 and Howard University in '88.

The Atlantic City Free Public Library will hold an exciting drum workshop, focusing primarily on African and Afro-Cuban drumming, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15, in the Main Library meeting room. This hands-on workshop is free and open to adults.

The International House of Blues Foundation will teach the basic culture and history of hand drumming. Discover basic technique and counting before exploring the distinctly recognizable rhythms of different countries. All instruments are provided. No musical experience is required. Please call (609) 345-2269, ext. 3115, for more information.

African-American Authors

 A

 B

 C

D

Dash, Julie (Non-fiction)

Datcher, Michael (Fiction)

DeBerry, Virginia (Fiction)

Delany, Samuel R. (Science Fiction)

Deloach, Nora (Mystery)

Dickey, Eric Jerome (Urban Fiction)

Diggs, Anita Doreen (Fiction)

Dove, Rita (Poetry)

Due, Tananarive (Horror Fiction)

Dumas, Henry (Poetry)

Dunbar, Paul Laurence (Fiction)

Dyson, Michael Eric (Biography/Non-fiction)
 

E

Edwards, Grace (Fiction)

Ellison, Ralph (Fiction)

Everett, Percival (Fiction)

F

Files, Lolita (Fiction)

Fleming, Robert (Erotica)

Flournoy, Valerie (Children)

Forster, Gwynne (Romance)

French, Albert (Fiction)

Foster, Sharon Ewell (Fiction)

Foxx, Nina (Fiction)

Fullilove, Eric (Fiction)

G

Gaines, Ernest (Fiction)

Gates, Henry Louis (Non-fiction)

Gilchrist, Jan Spivey (Children)

Giovanni, Nikki (Poetry, Children)

Goines, Donald (Fiction)

Golden, Marita (Social Fiction)

Greenfield, Eloise (Children)

Grimes, Nikki (Children)

Guy, Rosa (Fiction)

G'Orge-walker, Pat (Fiction)

H

Hailstock, Shirley (Love stories)

Haley, Patricia (Fiction)

Hamilton, Virginia (Children/Young Adult)

Hansen, Joyce (Children/Young Adult)

Hardwick, Gary (Mystery)

Hardy, James E. (Gay fiction)

Harris, E. Lynn (Urban fiction)

Hansberry, Lorraine (Literature)

Hill, Donna (Urban fiction)

Himes, Chester (Mystery)

Holmes, Shannon (Urban fiction)

Holton, Hugh (Mystery)

Hooks, Bell (Non-fiction)

Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald (Children)

Hudson, Wade (Children)

Hughes, Langston (Fiction/Poetry)

Hunter, Travis (Fiction)

Hurston, Zora Neale (Fiction)

J

Jackson, Brian Keith (Fiction)

Jackson, Sheneska (Fiction)

Jakes, T.D . (Non-fiction)

Jenkins, Beverly (Romance)

Jenkins, Leonard (Illustrator)

Joe, Yolanda (Fiction)

Johnson, Angela (Children’s/Young Adult)

Johnson, James W. (Poetry)

K

Keats, Ezra Jack (Juvenile)

Kennedy, Erica (Fiction)

Killens, John O . (Young Adult fiction)

Kincaid, Jamaica (Fiction)

King, Martin Luther Jr.

Kitt, Sandra (Fiction/Romance)

Kunjufu, Jawanza (Fiction/Non-fiction)

 L

Lavalle, Victor D. (Fiction)

Lorde, Audre (Poetry/Literature)

M

Major, Clarence (Poetry)

Major, Marcus (Fiction)

Magona, Sindewe (Biography)

Mallette, Gloria (Fiction)

Mason, Felicia (Romance)

Mathis, Sharon Bell (Children’s)

McBride, James (Non-fiction)

McFadden, Bernice L. (Fiction)

McGruder, Aaron (Non-fiction)

Medina, Tony (Children’s poetry)

Mickelbury, Penny (Mystery)

Morrison, Toni (Fiction)

Mosley, Walter (Fiction)

Murray, Victoria Christopher (Christian)

Myers, Walter Dean (Young Adult/Children)

Monroe, Mary (fiction)

 

N

Naylor, Gloria (Fiction)

Nunez, Elizabeth (Fiction)

Neely, Barbara (Mystery)

Nelson, Jill (Non-fiction/Fiction)

O

Obama, Barack (Biography)

Pate, Alexs D . (Literature)

Perrin, Kayla (Fiction/Romance)

Petry, Ann (Juvenile)

Pinkney, Andrea Davis (Children)

Pinkney, J. Brian (Children)

Pinkney, Gloria Jean (Children)

Powell, Kevin (Non-fiction)

Price-Thompson, Tracy (Fiction)

 

R

Rawles, Nancy (Fiction)

Ray, Francis (Romance)

Rhodes, Jewell Parker (Fiction)

Ringgold, Faith (Children)

Robinson, C. Kelly (Fiction)

Robinson, Randall (Non-fiction)

Roby, Kimberla Lawson (Urban fiction)

 

S

Sanchez, Sonia (Poetry)

Sapphire (Poetry)

Shange, Ntozake (Poetry/Fiction)

Simmons, Alex (Biography)

Sinclair, April (Fiction)

Smiley, Travis (Social Conditions)

Spencer, Camika C. (Fiction)

Sowell, Thomas (Economics/Social Conditions)

Steptoe, John (Children)

Summers, Barbara (Fashion/Fiction)

 

T

Tate, Eleanora E. (Children)

Thomas, Jacquelin (Fiction)

Thomas, Sheree R. (Science Fiction)

Tramble, Nichelle D . (Urban fiction)

Tyree, Omar Rashad  (Urban fiction)

V

Vanzant, Iyanla (Meditations)

W

Walker, Alice (Fiction)

Weber, Carl (Fiction)

West, Cornel  (Race relations)

West, Dorothy (Fiction)

Whitehead, Colson (Fiction)

Whitfield, Van (Fiction)

Wideman, John Edgar (Fiction/Pittsburgh/Philly)

Williams, Tia (Fiction)

Woodson, Jacqueline (Young Adult)

Wright, Richard (Fiction)
     

Y

Yarbrough, Camille (Children)

Youngblood, Shay (Fiction)
   

Z  

Zane (Fiction)

African Americans are Atlantic City's largest racial group. Many great African American performers and entertainers, sports professionals, and business professionals spent time in Atlantic City. Resources about African Americans in Atlantic City are found in the Atlantic City Free Public Library's Alfred M. Heston Collection . Resources in the Heston Collection are available for public use during research hours or by appointment. For more information, see Using the Heston Collection.

Online Research Library

Oxford African American Studies Center . (Available through library website from home with your library card or inside the library.)
Biographical information, maps, primary source documents, timelines, tables, charts and more on thousands of African Americans and related topics.

Online Local News Index. (Available through library website from home or inside the library.) Searchable index to local news articles published from 1984 to the present.

Published Resources

"The Black Experience in Southern New Jersey: Events of 1984. " Various Articles. (Heston 305.896 Bla)
Articles about the election of Atlantic City's first African American mayor James Usry, and articles about casinos and urban redevelopment.

Butler, Rebecca Batts.  Bronze Stars of the Delaware Valley: From 1998 to the Millennium.  Deptford, New Jersey: C C Publishers, 2000.
Includes brief biographies of a few African American women from Atlantic City.

Camden County Historical Society. The Black Experience in Southern New Jersey : Papers Presented at a Symposium at the Camden County Historical Society, February 11-12, 1984.  (Heston 325.26 Bla)
A collection of papers written by three scholars: Clement Price, Spencer Crew, and Herbert Foster.  Papers focus on the impact African-Americans made in the development of Atlantic City and Camden, New Jersey.

Corbin, Raymond A.  1999 Facts About Blacks: A Sourcebook of African-American Accomplishment. United States: Beckham House Publishers, Inc., 1986.  (Heston 305.896 Cor)
A source book of African-American accomplishments presented in a question and answer format. Some facts listed apply to Atlantic City, NJ.

Cross, June. Secret Daughter: A Mixed-Race Daughter and the Mother Who Gave Her Away. New York: Viking, 2006.
Friends of Cross' family in Atlantic City raised June Cross, the daughter of a black man and a white woman.

Dixon, Phil.  The Negro Baseball Leagues: A Photographic History.  Mattituck, New York: Amereon House, 1992.

Ellis, Catherine and Stephen Drury Smith, editors.  Say It Plain: A Century of Great African American Speeches.  New York: The New Press, 2005.  (Heston 815.508 Say)
An anthology of African-American political speeches.  Includes Fannie Lou Hamer’s address at the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City.  Book includes text transcripts and audio of all speeches.

Foster, Herbert James.  The Urban Experience of Blacks in Atlantic City , New Jersey, 1850-1915.  Ph.D. diss., Rutgers University, 1981. (Heston 305.896 Fos) Study of the essential role African-Americans played in the development of Atlantic City as a successful resort.

Goddard, Richlyn F.  Three Months to Hurry and Nine Months to Worry: Resort Life for African Americans in Atlantic City, New Jersey (1850-1940).  Ph.D. diss., Howard University, 2001. (Heston 305.896 God) Historical and socio-cultural study of the African-American community in Atlantic City.

Goddard, Richlyn F.  The Other Side of the Boardwalk: The African American Experience in Atlantic City, N.J., 1880 to 1940.  Temple University, Spring, 1991.  (Heston 305.896073 God) Paper written about the role African- Americans played in the development of Atlantic City.

Griffin, Sean Patrick.  Philadelphia’s ‘Black Mafia’: A Social and Political History.  Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2003.  (Heston 364.106 Gri) 
This book uses primary source documents to explore the mafia’s activities and crimes in detail and includes mafia activity in Atlantic City. 

Hammond, Cynthia, comp.  Atlantic City African-American History Trail (Black History Month).  Atlantic City, New Jersey: City of Atlantic City, 2001-present. (Heston 305.874986 Atl)
The annual African-American History Trail is designed to bring awareness to African-Americans in Atlantic City.  The trail book is a guide to important African-American establishments, both past and present, found in Atlantic City.

Hogan, Lawrence.  Shades of Glory: The Negro Leagues and the Story of African-American Baseball.  Washington, D.C.: National Geographic, 2006.

Kyle, Howard J.  An Early African-American History of Atlantic City, February 28, 1992.  Prepared for the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, Black History Observance, February 28, 1992.  (Heston Stack #5)
A discussion of the early history of African-Americans in Atlantic City from about 1869 to the First World War.

Lee, Chana Kai.  For Freedom’s Sake: The Life of Fannie Lou Hamer.  Chicago, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1999.  (Heston Bio Hamer, Fannie Lou) A biography of the life and accomplishments of Fannie Lou Hamer.  Hamer’s appearance at the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City brought national attention to Hamer and black Mississippians.

The New Jersey Conference of Social Work. The Negro in New Jersey: Report of a survey by the Interracial Committee of the New Jersey Conference of Social Work.  Newark: New Jersey Conference of Social Work, 1932. (Heston Stack #5)
Survey conducted by the New Jersey State Department of Institutions and Agencies in cooperation with the Interracial Committee of the New Jersey Conference of Social Work to explore the social and economic status of the African American population in New Jersey.

Palmer, Walter, comp.  American Racism: Community Cooperative Ideas.  Atlantic City: Atlantic Community College, 1994.  (Heston Stack #5)
A collection of student papers prepared in connection with “American Racism,” a course taught at Atlantic Community College by Dr. Walter Palmer during the 1993-1994 academic year.

Raheem, Turiya S.A. Growing Up in the Other Atlantic City. Xlibris Corporation, 2009.
Experiences of the Washington Family of Wash's Restaurant.

Ruck, Rob and Molly Youngling, producers.  Kings on the Hill: Baseball’s Forgotten Men.  Pittsburgh, PA: San Pedro Productions, Ltd., 1993. VHS.

Tate, Celestine. Some Crawl and Never Walk. Pittsburgh, PA: Dorrance Publishing, 1995.
The inspiring autobiography of an Atlantic City artist with mulitple physical disabilities.

Wright, Giles.  A Civil Rights Turning Point: Fannie Lou Hamer in Atlantic City, 1964. New Jersey Historical Commission, 2005.
VHS tape documents the life and achievements of Civil Right’s activist, Fannie Lou Hamer.  Ms. Hamer addressed the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, 1964.  A teacher’s guide accompanies the video tape.

Periodicals

Black Atlantic City Magazine, 1979-1986; Black New Jersey Magazine (formerly Black Atlantic City Magazine), 1987-1990.

Black News and Events, 1987-1996 (incomplete).

The Network News, 1994 – 1997.

Local History Biography Files

Local History Subject Files

Archival Collections

Archival Collections related to African Americans in Atlantic City include:

• 101 Women Plus Records (Heston Collection H059) .
• Dorothy J. Beatty "Black History of Atlantic City" Oral History Project (H057).
• Board of Trade Directories: 1936, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1945, 1947.
• African American Churches in Atlantic City: photographs, church histories, Local History Subject Files, History of the Negro Church in New Jersey (WPA).
• Federal Writers Project, New Jersey Ethnic Survey, African Americans in Atlantic City. Survey of Negro Life in New Jersey: Atlantic City.  Interracial Committee Department of Institutions and Agencies, July 1932. 
  "The Negro in Business (in Atlantic City)"
  "The Rise of the Negro Professional Man (in Atlantic City)"
  "Economic Shifts and Migratory Influences (in Atlantic City)"
  "The Negro Laborer (in Atlantic City)" – incomplete
  "Earning a Living in Atlantic City" – incomplete
  "Social Agencies (in Atlantic City)" – incomplete
  "Education of Negroes in Atlantic City"
• The Links, Inc. (Atlantic City Chapter) Records (H060): minutes (1948-1996), Linkages…Toward the Possible: Celebrating 50 years of friendship and service, The Links Scrapbook: 1946 to 1997 From the Beginning, Local History Subject File.
• Pop Lloyd Collection (H012).
• Organization of Teachers of Colored Children in the State of New Jersey (founded in Atlantic City Area): Annual meeting programs 1923-1931 and 1933-1945 (missing 1932); Bulletin (1927, 1942).
• Records of Fay-Mor-Wee, Home for the Aged and Infirmary, Inc. (H011).
  
• Chicken Bone Beach Collection (H030).
• Audrey Hart Photograph Collection of the Black Community in Atlantic City (H006).
• Harold P. Abrams Collection (H007).
• Alma Fay Horn Photograph Collection (H008).
• Sand Snipers Basketball Team Photograph Collection (H037).
• Apex Country Club Photograph Collection (H038).
• Club Harlem Collection (H039).
• Walls Family Photograph Collection (H063).

Providing a secure environment for children and teens is a high priority of the library.

The Youth Services Area on the second floor of the Main Library is dedicated to resources and services for children and teens (birth through 18 years of age).Parents and caretakers are invited to accompany their children to the Youth Services Area to participate actively in reading, programs and the selection and use of library materials.

The use of the facility and resources is reserved for Youth (children plus teens through 18 years of age). For the safety of all children, adults (19 years and over) who are not accompanied by children, are to use the Youth Services Area only for the purpose of retrieving materials for check out or to make arrangements to pull materials for research to be used on the first floor of the library.

Approved by the Board of Trustees of the Atlantic City Free Public Library, November 20, 2006.
Implemented December 5, 2006.

When Alfred Heston died in 1937 at the age of 83, he left behind a rich legacy of enduring achievements and service to Atlantic City. His commitment to civic service was evident in his roles as city

official, newspaper editor and publisher, historian and author, founder of the Atlantic City Hospital and trustee of the Atlantic City Free Public Library. His innovative approaches to promoting the city contributed to the continuing development of Atlantic City as a resort.

As a public official he was well known for his independence and opposition to unethical practices in city government. First elected in 1895 as City Comptroller, he served in this position for many years. In 1912, City Council ousted him from the Comptroller's office after he refused to buy stock in a city contractor's street paving company and then rejected what he believed to be a spurious payment claim from the same company. In a statement to supporters he said:

Defeated? By no means. On the contrary, I have won a great victory. Plato says that conquest of self is the greatest of all victories. By subjecting my own interests to those of the public, I have won a greater victory than that of the man who has thrust me out of office. I have refused to do the bidding of those who seemed to care little for the public but who have had an eye on the main chance.

In his subsequent run for the post of City Commissioner in 1912, he was defeated, probably because he refused to align himself with any political factions. During the election he made it clear he "had no connection with any political machine and recognized no boss other than the general public." He was elected City Treasurer in 1914 with a vote that was, at the time, the largest ever cast for a candidate for any public office in the history of Atlantic City. A legal ambiguity concerning the direct election of a city treasurer led to the Board of Commissioners rejecting the vote but then appointing Heston to the position themselves. This in turn paved the way for his ouster from office a year later after he once again found himself at odds with corrupt political interests.

Heston had a notable newspaper career in the region, beginning with The West Jersey Press in Camden where he learned the printing trade right after completing high school in Philadelphia. Within a few years he became editor of the newspaper and subsequently went on to The Salem Standard and The Bridgeton Chronicle. In 1884 he purchased The Atlantic City Review; after relinquishing his interests in that paper, he later purchased The Atlantic Journal.

In the late 1880s, Heston began writing and publishing a long-running series promoting Atlantic City. Heston's Handbook: Atlantic City Illustrated was an annual publication devoted to publicizing the City's many attractions. Heston is also credited with devising the strategy for what was ultimately a highly successful public relations gambit: the city-run Press Bureau. Through promotional events, coverage of visiting celebrities and relationships with reporters throughout the country, the Press Bureau shaped the image of the city during its heyday as a resort destination.

The history of southern New Jersey was another area in which Heston made a significant contribution. He was the editor of South Jersey, A History, 1664-1924, a five-volume work covering historical events leading to the development of each county in the region as well as biographies of prominent residents. As an author, he wrote about the history of Atlantic City and the Egg Harbor region in Absegami: Annals of Eyren Haven and Atlantic City, 1609-1904. In Jersey Waggon Jaunts he turned historical fact into an eclectic set of anecdotal tales about New Jersey history, including many on Atlantic City.

Heston considered his founding of the Atlantic City Hospital his greatest achievement. The hospital opened in 1898, and Heston served as secretary of its board of governors for the next 25 years. As one of the founders and trustees of the Atlantic City Free Public Library, Heston was responsible for establishing the collection on local history. In the Library's earliest days, he made a significant number of contributions to the collection. Later, his personal library of books and manuscripts was acquired and formed the basis for expanded development of the Atlantic City history collection. Through both his publications and collection of historical materials, he continues to this day to support the work of researchers who, in varying ways, carry on his legacy.

Key Dates in Alfred Heston's Life:

• April 30, 1854: Born at Hestonville, Pennsylvania, to descendants of a Quaker family who were among the original settlers of Bucks County.
• 1875: Married Abbie Mitchell, in Camden, New Jersey, with whom he had three daughters.
• 1884: Took up residence in Atlantic City.
• November 10, 1937: Died at Atlantic City Hospital after a brief illness; buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Pleasantville, New Jersey.

References:

Cover of Handbook of Atlantic City, New Jersey , 1894 by Alfred M. Heston. From the Heston Collection of the Atlantic City Free Public Library.

Information and research materials about Atlantic City's unique cultural, economic, social and historical development make up the Alfred M. Heston Collection of the Atlantic City Free Public Library. The collection is named for Alfred M. Heston (1854-1937), a city official, historian and one of the founders of the library. Heston resources include both published and unpublished works. The types of resources available are: Archival Collections: unique groups of personal and business papers, scrapbooks, photographs, postcards, music, menus, memorabilia, and audiovisual materials organized into separate collections based on who created or donated them, or based on the format of the materials. An alphabetical list of the Archival Collections is online, and finding aids - which provide more detailed information about collections - are linked to the list, when they are available. Local History Files: clippings files maintained by the Reference Department include newspaper articles, pamphlets, copies of photographs, and obituaries pertaining to topics and persons of local importance. The files are divided into two types - Local History Biograpy Files and Local History Subject Files.

• Book Collection: books related to Atlantic City, including fictional stories set in Atlantic City, biographies of persons with ties to Atlantic City, and historical materials about Atlantic City. This collection includes the Atlantic City Directories and the Atlantic City High School yearbooks, The Herald . Many of the items in the Heston Book Collection may be found in the Library Catalog, and the City Directories are also available on microfilm.
• Map and Atlas Collection: maps of Atlantic City and the surrounding areas, dating from 1860 to the present. Some maps, such as the Sanborn Insurance Maps , include block-by-block detail. Some are available on microfilm.

For more information on resources in the Alfred M. Heston Collection, or for information on how to gain access to the resources, please visit the webpages in our menu (located on the left), or contact Heston Collection staff.

Date: 1923-1992
Collection Number: H053

Extent: 0.10 cu. ft.

Repository: Alfred M. Heston Collection, Atlantic City Free Public Library, 1 North Tennessee Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, (609) 345-2269.

Preferred Citation: Anthony Panico Atlantic City High School Collection, Alfred M. Heston Collection, Atlantic City Free Public Library.

Creator:
Anthony Panico was a science teacher and department head at Atlantic City High School for 25 years. Of his work, Panico said, "Working with the staff and students has been a constant source of satisfaction, and I have the privilege of being able to serve as the chairman [of the Science Department]. The department is well known throughout the state and has an excellent reputation. It is my hope that eventually we will have a new building with improved and enlarged science facilities, thereby allowing us to even further improve our science offerings to the community." He retired in the early 1990s.

The Atlantic City High School in which Panico taught his students was constructed in 1921 at Albany and Atlantic Avenues. It welcomed students from 1923 to 1994, and as originally constructed, included 15 science rooms. The building was demolished in 1999.

References:
Atlantic City High School, Herald, 1983.

In-Depth Information about the collection

Scope and Content:
This collection includes booklets, brochures, manuals, and other paper materials related to Atlantic City School District and teaching in the school system. Also included is a 1926 floor plan of the classrooms at Atlantic City High School.

System of Arrangement:
The order of this collection was imposed during processing by the archivist. An item list is included in the last section of this finding aid.

Other Information for Users of the Collection

Related Materials:
The Heston Collection holds other materials related to the subjects in this collection. Some of these materials include the following:

• Atlantic City High School, Herald, 1902-present (incomplete).
• Atlantic City High School, Student Handbook, 1996-1997.
• Atlantic City Schools: A Historic Overview, Context and Survey.
• Course of Study: Public Schools of Atlantic City, N.J., 1897.
• The Annual Report of the Public Schools of Atlantic City, 1930-1959 (incomplete).
• Report: Board of Education, Atlantic City, N.J., 1902-1931 (incomplete).

Vertical subject files related to this topic are:
Schools - Atlantic City High School (subject file)
Schools - Public Schools General (subject file)

Processing Note: The collection is processed. Finding aid written by Heather Halpin, archivist, June 2007.

Copyright Notice: While the Atlantic City Free Public Library owns the collection, the Library may not own the copyright for all of the items. Researchers wishing to reproduce materials are responsible for obtaining the proper permissions.

Item List

Folder 1:

• Atlantic City High School Bulletin 1923-1924.
• (2) Atlantic City High School Teacher's Manual 1924, 1926-1927.
• "The Role of the High School Department Chairman." 1960-1961.
• (2) Atlantic City Public School Bulletin School Directory. September 1969, September 1989.
• Atlantic City Public Schools employees. Perfect Attendance. 1990-1991
• (5) Atlantic City Public Schools. "Vocational and Adult Education". Registration pamphlets and correspondence. 1963-1964, 1964-1965, 1965-1966, 1966-1967, 1967-1968.
• Atlantic City Public Schools. "Supervisory Action Plan." 1990.
• Atlantic City High School Student/Parent Guidebook. 1991-1992.
• Atlantic City High School stationery. Letterhead and envelopes.
• Atlantic City High School. Board of Education: Atlantic City, 1927. 

Folder 2:

• "A.C. High School Drawing Dept. R.R. Bell." Blueprint of classrooms in old Atlantic City High School.

Not enough time to get to the library?  Visit Do Research. Let us work for you, wherever you are.  We offer the following resources at this website to help you answer your question from the comfort of your home:

• Online Research Library
  Use your library card to search encyclopedias, dictionaries, journals, magazines, newspapers and more anywhere & anytime you want. The Atlantic City Free Public Library pays to provide this Online Resaerch Library to meet your information needs.
• Sites to Use
  To save you time, our librarians have created a list of reliable and informative websites on a variety of topics, including many specific to New Jersey citizens.
• Ask a Librarian
  Want that personal touch? Find a librarian anytime of day or night to help with your reference or research question.

Finding aids, which describe what is within each collection and help locate information within each collection, are available for some of the collections. These are linked in the list below.

Because the archival collections are unique, they are in a closed-stack area and require staff assistance to access them. To view the collections listed below, either visit the Heston Room during research hours or make an appointment at least one business day in advance of your visit.

Collection Names (finding aids are linked, if available)
ACFPL Collection of Atlantic City Music
ACFPL Collection of Atlantic City Photographs
ACFPL Collection of Atlantic City Photographs, 2007 Aerial Photographs
ACFPL Collection of Atlantic City Postcards
ACFPL Collection of Atlantic City Realia
ACFPL Film Collection
ACFPL Game Collection
ACFPL Living History Project
ACFPL Map Collection
ACFPL Menu Collection, 1903-present
ACFPL Oral History Project, "30 Years, 30 Voices" [SEE: "30 Years, 30 Voices" ACFPL Oral History Project, 2008]
ACFPL Poster and Art Collection
ACFPL Scrapbook Collection
Harold P. Abrams Collection
Apex Country Club Photograph Collection
Col. John Jacob Astor Camp #28 Records, 1924-1933
Atlantic City Aero Club Scrapbook Collection, 1910-1912
Atlantic City Beach Patrol Collection
Atlantic City Centennial Celebration Scrapbook
Atlantic City Directories
Atlantic City Convention Hall Collection
Atlantic City Housing Authority Scrapbooks Collection
"Atlantic City Remembers World War II" Exhibit
Atlantic City Sea Gulls Hockey Team Collection, 1936-1941

Dorothy J. Beatty "Black History of Atlantic City" Oral History Project, 1977
Boyd Family Papers
Brisco Family Papers, 1923-1950

Chicken Bone Beach Collection
Club Harlem Collection
Dr. F.B. Coll Swim Team Collection, 1927-1940
Vibrina Coronado Miss America Research Collection

Dramateurs Theatre Group Collection, 1941-1983

Records of Fay-Mor-Wee, Home for the Aged and Infirmary, Inc.
Morton Feldman Papers
Samuel Formicola Miss America Collection, 1957-1968
Anne Fothergill Collection of Preserved Algae
Arnette French Collection of Realia

Audrey Hart Photograph Collection
Alfred M. Heston Papers
Alma Fay Horn Photograph Collection
George E. Humphries Photograph Collection

Karabashian Eddington Planning Group, LLC Collection of Photographs of Atlantic City
Dr. James R. Karmel Atlantic City Project Oral History Interviews, 2002-2006
Donna Knorr Photographs of Sands Casino Demolition
Kutschera Postcard Collection

The Links, Inc. (Atlantic City Chapter) Records
Pop Lloyd Collection
Local History Biography Files
Local History Subject Files

Miss America Collection, 1922-present
Morris Guards Collection, approx. 1893-1977

101 Women Plus Records

Anthony Panico Atlantic City High School Collection, 1923-1992

Dr. Thomas K. Reed Paintings, 1907 - 1910

Salty Breezes Newspaper Collection
Sand Snipers Basketball Team Photograph Collection
John Keith Schwarz Photograph Exhibit: "Atlantic City - The Transition - A Picture Story"
Stan and Mary Sladek's Collection of Sands Casino Memorabilia, 1980-2004
Soroptimist Club Records
Studio 9 Photo Center Aerial Photographs Collection
George Swinton Papers

Taggert Scrapbook Collection
"30 Years, 30 Voices" ACFPL Oral History Project, 2008
Gayle Trimble and Carol Lothman Papers

Walls Family Photograph Collection
Sarah Spencer Washington Exhibit Materials
Women's Research Club Records

Updated 17 December 2009.

It is more important than ever to make wise, financial decisions given the state of the economy. To do so, you will want to have as much information as possible at your disposal so you can make choices that will help you maximize your dollars.
The Atlantic City Free Public Library offers some great resources if you want to do research before spending your money - and one of those resources is Consumer Reports.

City, Telephone, and Cross-Reference Directories contain a wealth of information for those researching Atlantic City's past. City Directories include names of residents, home addresses, and professions, along with a classified listing of businesses. Advertisements for businesses are also found in the City Directories. Beginning around 1940, the City Directories include a street and address guide which lists each address and a person living there. Telephone Directories include the name(s) of the telephone account holder, as well as an address and telephone number. Classified listings in Telephone Directories ("yellow pages") include business advertisements. Cross Reference Directories list, by address, each building and a resident. They also include the resident's telephone number, and may include information on the value of the property and whether or not the resident is new to that address.

The Heston Collection has a large selection of Atlantic City City, Telephone, and Cross Reference Directories available for researchers to consult. Not every year is available. Please see the table below for additional information. Some of the directories are available only in print; some are available only in microfilm. Inquire at the Reference Desk to use the microfilm directories at the Library or to see directories that are only availble in print.

For information on remote research assistance with directories, please see the Heston Collection Research and Copy Fees page.

Updated 25 February 2010.

Date: October 15, 2007 Collection Number: H009.2007a Extent: 161 digital photographs in both TIF and JPG formats; 161 8.5” by 11” color prints. Repository: Alfred M. Heston Collection, Atlantic City Free Public Library, 1 North Tennessee Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, (609) 345-2269. Preferred Citation: Atlantic City Free Public Library Collection of Atlantic City Photographs, 2007 Aerial Photographs (H009.2007a), Alfred M. Heston Collection, Atlantic City Free Public Library. Creator: In October 2007 the Atlantic City Free Public Library hired Artist In the Sky, an aerial photography company from Lake Village, Indiana, to make a visual record of Atlantic City. The Library determined to do this as many changes were occurring in Atlantic City at the time; the Sands Casino was demolished just days after the photo shoot and Revel Entertainment was clearing land in the Inlet area for a new casino. Artist In the Sky captured the digital photographs in this collection on October 15, 2007 from a Cessna airplane using a Canon EOS-5D camera.
	From Downbeach looking Uptown along beach. (2007, H009.2007a.9749) [Artist in the Sky for ACFPL]
	From Absecon Inlet looking toward ocean. (2007, H009.2007a.9716) [Artist in the Sky for ACFPL]

Scope and Content:
The 161 individual digital images in this collection were captured on October 15, 2007 using a Canon EOS-5D camera. The images represent all areas of Atlantic City. Images were taken primarily from the water - the Bay, Inlet, or the Atlantic Ocean), but all neighborhoods of the City are visible.

Each image was transmitted to the Atlantic City Free Public Library as a TIF format and as a JPG file format in 4 compression levels (33%, 50%, 75%, and 100%). Digital files were delivered to ACFPL on five DVD-R discs. TIF and JPG (100%) files were transferred to a server for digital preservation.

Digital files and prints were numbered according the digital file name assigned by the camera. Photograph descriptions were assigned by the archivist based on geological and manmade landmarks visible in each image.

System of Arrangement:
The 161 images were printed in July 2008 on 8.5” by 11” archival paper with archival ink by Arc Reprographics of Absecon, New Jersey. The printed images are housed in two boxes for researcher use. Box 1 contains images 9625 to 9709 and Box 2 contains images 9710 to 9785.

Digital images are stored in various formats by file name. Generally, researchers may not access the original digital images without special permission from the Heston Room archivist.

OTHER INFORMATION FOR USERS OF THE COLLECTION

Related Materials: The Heston Collection contains other aerial and panoramic photographs from other years, the majority of which are in the Atlantic City Free Public Library Collection of Atlantic City Photographs (H009). Two other collections containing exclusively aerial photographs are the Studio 9 Photo Center Aerial Photographs Collection (H062) and the Karabashian Eddington Planning Group, LLC Collection of Photographs of Atlantic City (H004).

The Heston Collection also contains books, clippings files, and information about many of the buildings and landmarks visible in the photographs, as well as other photographs and postcards related to the landmarks.

Access Points:
Aerial Photographs – Atlantic City (N.J.) – 2007
Panoramas – Atlantic City (N.J.)
Casinos – Atlantic City (N.J.)
Beach – Atlantic City (N.J.)

Processing Note: The collection is processed and available for research. Finding aid and descriptions written June 2009 by archivist, Heather Halpin Pérez.

Copyright Notice: The Atlantic City Free Public Library owns the copyright for these photographs. Please contact the Heston Room archivist for more information and for permission to use the photographs.

IMAGE LIST

For a description of each image, please download the finding aid in PDF form.

Please refer to both the image name and description when requesting a copy of the photograph. Copy and research fees apply.

Finding Aid published 16 June 2009.

The Atlantic City Free Public Library has resources that may be used for genealogical research. Please note that staff members cannot conduct genealogical research for you, but will be happy to direct you to the appropriate resources. If you are unable to visit in person, limited research assistance is available for a fee. Contact the Reference Department for more information.

Obituaries
Researchers are encouraged to come to the Library and use the Library's Index to The Atlantic City Press (1984 to current month) to find citations in The Press and use the microfilm containing the full-text of the newspaper. The Library has The Press of Atlantic City from 1895, with a few exceptions. The Library also has Newsbank, a full-text searchable database of The Press, from 1988 to the present. (This database is only available from inside the Library building.)

If you are unable to visit the Atlantic City Free Public Library in person to locate the obituary, there are two options for obtaining a copy:
1. Full-text articles from 1988 to the present are available online through The Press of Atlantic City website . There is a fee for this service.
2. Hire a researcher to come to the Library in person to search the microfilm:

• The Genealogical Society of New Jersey maintains a list of researchers that conduct genealogical research in New Jersey.
• MyGenealogist.com employs genealogists who conduct research in New Jersey.
• Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness has a list of volunteers who agree to do certain types of genealogy look-ups.

Vital Records
For information on obtaining a copy of a vital record certificate of an event that occurred in Atlantic City (birth, death, marriage, or domestic partnership), please refer to the following websites:

For an event that occurred after April 1878:
Vital Records in New Jersey

For an event that occurred after April 1848 and before May 1878:
New Jersey State Archives

The City of Atlantic City Bureau of Vital Statistics also has records on file for births (1903 – present), deaths (1921-present), and marriages (1921-present).

Books
Atlantic City Directories, 1872-present (with some exceptions)
Atlantic City High School, Herald [yearbook], 1904-present (with some exceptions)

Some local histories of Atlantic City contain biographical information of prominent citizens.

Other books and periodicals related to genealogy research may be located by searching the Library Catalog with the subject heading "Genealogy".

Research Databases
HeritageQuest - United States Population Census returns, electronic books, periodicals index for genealogy publications, and other online resources. Requires a valid Atlantic City Free Public Library card to access from outside the Library building.
Newsbank - full-text newspaper articles from The Press of Atlantic City (1988-present) and The Philadelphia Inquirer (1981-present). This database is only available inside the Library building.

Local History Materials
The Heston Collection maintains clippings files on topics related to Atlantic City and local history, as well as archival collections, books, and other unique resources. Please contact the Heston Collection staff for more information about these.

• Local History Biography Files
• Local History Subject Files
• Atlantic City maps
• Sanborn Fire Insurance maps (on microfilm)
• Population Census Returns for Atlantic City (on microfilm):
  • Federal Census years available - 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930
  • Civil War Veterans and their Widows (special schedule from 1890 Federal Census)
  • New Jersey State Census years available - 1855, 1865, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915
Getting Started
There are many websites with information about how to start a family history or begin a genealogy. Some of these include:
Cyndi's List
FamilySearch

Other Resources
Please see this list of other websites for more information.

Other libraries and archives with genealogical collections related to the Atlantic City area are:
Atlantic Heritage Center
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
National Archives and Records Administration Mid Atlantic Region
New Jersey Historical Society
New Jersey State Archives
New Jersey State Library, Genealogy and Local History Collection
Archibald S. Alexander Library (Rutger's)