For the first time in forty years, the story of one of America's most maligned cities is told in all its grit and glory. With its open-armed embrace of manufacturing, Newark, New Jersey, rode the Industrial Revolution to great prominence and wealth that lasted well into the twentieth century. In the postwar years, however, Newark experienced a perfect storm of urban troublesùpolitical corruption, industrial abandonment, white flight, racial conflict, crime, poverty. Cities across the United States found themselves in similar predicaments, yet Newark stands out as an exceptional case. Its saga reflects the rollercoaster ride of Everycity U.S.A., only with a steeper rise, sharper turns, and a much more dramatic plunge. How Newark Became Newark is a fresh, unflinching popular history that spans the city's epic transformation from a tiny Puritan village into a manufacturing powerhouse, on to its desperate struggles in the twentieth century and beyond. After World War II, unrest mounted as the minority community was increasingly marginalized, leading to the wrenching civic disturbances of the 1960s. Though much of the city was crippled for years, How Newark Became Newark is also a story of survival and hope. Today, a real estate revival and growing population are signs that Newark is once again in ascendance.

Founded in 1666 by stalwart Puritan settlers along the Passaic River, Newark has evolved over the centuries from an ecclesiastical hamlet into a metropolis renowned as a center of industry and opportunity. The history of Newark is an engaging tale of American ambition, resolve, innovation, and spirit, propelling the city into a premier role on the world's economic and cultural stage. From Newark's initial settlement to the present, this comprehensive volume chronicles the fascinating story of the city's past, bringing to life many of the events and characters that shaped its unique heritage and traditions. Readers will journey across epochs of change, on horseback and trolley, in stagecoach and automobile, on plank roads and mammoth cement turnpikes, and will experience firsthand the community's conflicts and developments, from its days as a strategic crossroads for both Continental and British troops during the American Revolution to its elevation as an industrial hub for businesses in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Touching upon its human face, Newark, New Jersey recognizes an assortment of religious, political, and cultural figures and leaders, such as the famed Reverends Abraham Pierson Sr. and Aaron Burr Sr., the imaginative entrepreneurial pioneer Seth Boyden, and the quintessential American inventor Thomas A. Edison, and details their impact on the growing community.

Newark’s volatile past is infamous. The city has become synonymous with the Black Power movement and urban crisis. Its history reveals a vibrant and contentious political culture punctuated by traditional civic pride and an understudied tradition of protest in the black community. Newark charts this important city's place in the nation, from its founding in 1666 by a dissident Puritan as a refuge from intolerance, through the days of Jim Crow and World War II civil rights activism, to the height of postwar integration and the election of its first black mayor. In this broad and balanced history of Newark, Kevin Mumford applies the concept of the public sphere to the problem of race relations, demonstrating how political ideas and print culture were instrumental in shaping African American consciousness. He draws on both public and personal archives, interpreting official documents - such as newspapers, commission testimony, and government records—alongside interviews, political flyers, meeting minutes, and rare photos. From the migration out of the South to the rise of public housing and ethnic conflict, Newark explains the impact of African Americans on the reconstruction of American cities in the twentieth century.

This book examines the evolution of Muslim community development in Newark, New Jersey. It is an historical account of the efforts of a diverse community that over several decades grappled with the challenge of establishing a respected place for their Islamic lifestyle within the United States. Further, it is a story linked closely to the experience of African Americans who have claimed Islam as their religion and struggled to create and to maintain an identity in the social fabric of Newark's twentieth-century Black religious culture. The complexities of race, identity, inter-religious and intra-religious relations are the four central themes explored.

New Year's Day 1900 heralded the beginning of Newark's Golden Age-the heyday of the city's diverse population, beautiful mansions, varied industries, and prosperous insurance, leather, and jewelry companies. Newark's crystal-clear water attracted some thirty-five breweries, including P. Ballantine & Sons and Hensler's. Frederick Law Olmsted developed Branch Brook Park, the first county park in the United States. Transportation for industrial and personal use was booming, with barges, ships, trains, and trolleys running continually. Called "the City of Churches," Newark became known for the numerous houses of worship used by its residents. Educational institutions grew, paving the way for the many schools and colleges in existence today. Newark: The Golden Age explores New Jersey's largest city through rare vintage postcard views that will captivate residents and visitors alike.

For decades, leaders in Newark, New Jersey, have claimed their city is about to return to its vibrant past. How accurate is this prediction? Is Newark on the verge of revitalization? Robert Curvin, who was one of New Jersey’s outstanding civil rights leaders, examines the city, chronicling its history, politics, and culture. Throughout the pages of Inside Newark, Curvin approaches his story both as an insider who is rooting for Newark and as an objective social scientist illuminating the causes and effects of sweeping changes in the city Based on historical records and revealing interviews with over one hundred residents and officials, Inside Newark traces Newark’s history from the 1950s, when the city was a thriving industrial center, to the era of Mayor Cory Booker. Along the way, Curvin covers the disturbances of July 1967, called a riot by the media and a rebellion by residents; the administration of Kenneth Gibson, the first black mayor of a large northeastern city; and the era of Sharpe James, who was found guilty of corruption. Curvin examines damaging housing and mortgage policies, the state takeover of the failing school system, the persistence of corruption and patronage, Newark’s shifting ethnic and racial composition, positive developments in housing and business complexes, and the reign of ambitious mayor Cory Booker. Inside Newark reveals a central weakness that continues to plague Newark—that throughout this history, elected officials have not risen to the challenges they have faced. Curvin calls on those in positions of influence to work for the social and economic improvement of all groups and concludes with suggestions for change, focusing on education reform, civic participation, financial management, partnerships with agencies and business, improving Newark’s City Council, and limiting the term of the mayor. If Newark’s leadership can encompass these changes, Newark will have a chance at a true turnaround. Watch a video with Robert Curvin: Watch video now. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-d6zV2OQ8A).

New Jersey is one of the smallest and most densely populated states, yet the remarkable diversity of its birdlife surpasses that of many larger states. Well over 400 species of birds have been recorded in New Jersey and an active birder can hope to see more than 300 species in a year.William J. Boyle has updated his classic guide to birding in New Jersey, featuring all new maps and ten new illustrations. The book is an invaluable companion for every birder - novice or experienced, New Jerseyan or visitor.A Guide to Bird Finding in New Jersey features: More than 130 top birding spots described in detailClear maps, travel directions, species lists, and notes on birdingAn annotated list of the frequency and abundance of the state's birds, including waterbirds, pelagic birds, raptors, migrating birds, and northern and southern birds at the edge of their usual rangesA comprehensive bibliography and indexThe guide also includes helpful information on: Birding in New Jersey by seasonTelephone and internet rare bird alertsPelagic birdingHawk watchingBird and nature clubs in the state

NEWARK LANDMARK TREASURES: A Guide to the Landmark Buildings, Parks, Public Art & Historic Districts in New Jersey's MetropolisThis book brings together for the first time narratives of Newark's buildings, parks, public art and historic districts on the State and/or National Registers of Historic Places. The entries are organized by the original use of each category of building and listed chronologically within each group.The Newark Preservation and Landmarks Committee is proud to publish this book on the occasion of the 350th anniversary of the founding of the City of Newark.

When Newark Had a Chinatown: My Personal Journey by Ms. Yoland Skeete-Laessig Edited by Hal Laessig “Through her dedication, persistence and hard work, Ms. Skeete has pieced together a virtual gold mine of information about the history of Newark Chinatown. Her work fills a void in our understanding of Asian American history as well as Newark history.” – Peter Li, Teacher of Chinese Literature, Professor Emeritus History & Culture at Rutgers University. Author & Co-Editor of “Understanding Asian American.” “Yes, at the turn of the century, Newark’s Chinatown community was larger than New York’s. The history and the circumstances of its demise are largely a mystery rediscovered in the archives, in oral histories, and by the efforts of dedicated researchers who insist on asking these and other questions. I believe this initial effort will be the beginning of a long term project to reclaim this lost aspect of Newark, New Jersey, and New York City’s regional history.” – John Kuo Wei Tchen, Author & Professor, Asia Pacific Studies Department of NYU, Co-Founder of the Museum of Chinese in America “Newark Chinatown, the passage from South China to America, is one of many stories with the texture of real places that can tell us of a turning point in how we became who we are. As much as we like to boast about our accomplishments and ambitions, we hardly know the fullness of the genesis of ourselves as Americans. Yoland Skeete tells this story. It is a joy to give what I can and see her bring this story to life.” – Robert Lee, Executive Director, Asian American Arts Centre