Routes of Black Travel: The Green Book in Cape May and Wildwood Exhibit

The Center for Community Arts History Committee and friends toured the Routes of Black Travel: The Green Book in Cape May and Wildwood exhibit at Cape May MAC with Steven Olszewski who curated the show. He selected photos and objects from the CCA’s Nash Archives and committee members reviewed the text for accuracy. CCA and MAC have partnered on an annual exhibit since the late 1990s.  

Photo left to right: Joyce Gooch, Gene Dempsey, Hope Gaines, Steven Olszewski, Emily Dempsey, Yvonne Weight-Gary, Wanda Evelyn and Rachel Dolhanczyk. 

Open selected dates: January 18-March 23, 2025

The Negro Motorist Green Book, later renamed the Negro Travelers’ Green Book, was an annual guidebook that gave African American travelers essential information about safe places to stay, dine, and obtain services while traveling in the segregated United States during the Jim Crow era. Jim Crow laws forced racial segregation and lasted close to 100 years until 1968, and were enforced harshly, often with violence. The Green Book and similar publications helped keep Black Americans safe and provided them with some measure of freedom to travel. Learn how Esso stations created safe havens for Black motorists to fill their gas tanks and how hotels such as the Banneker House, the Hotel Dale, and Richardson’s Hotel, among others in Cape May, along with guest houses in Wildwood, gave Black visitors safe spaces to relax at the seaside on holiday or for business.

Free admission.

 

Carroll Gallery

The Carroll Gallery is home to changing exhibits that bring Cape May's history to life throughout the year. Visit scenes from the Victorian era or explore Cape May’s African American heritage; reminisce on years past or become a kid again when the Gallery becomes a holiday wonderland.

The Carroll Gallery is located in the Carriage House, on the grounds of the Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St. The building is the first one on the left-hand side as you come in the driveway. The Carriage House also has a Vintage restaurant and our Carriage House Museum Shop.

More information:: capemaymac.org/experience/carroll-gallery

CCA Wins Award for Black Voices of Cape May/A Feeling of Community Book

CCA’s multi-award-winning community history program was recently cited by the New Jersey Historical Commission for an Award of Recognition for our publication of “Black Voices of Cape May/A Feeling of Community.”  The award recognizes contributions to and the preservation of New Jersey History. In 2021, CCA was given a Champion of Diversity award jointly by the Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey and the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (one of three made to Southern New Jersey organizations) and received a Library Champion award from the New Jersey Library Association for our work in saving and restoring the Franklin Street School, and its repurposing as a branch of the Cape May County Library.

ART DEPOT CREATIVE REUSE CENTER

Since mid-December we have collected 1,732 pounds of gently used and no longer needed arts and crafts supplies, saving them from being deposited into a landfill. Thanks to all our donors for making the effort to deliver goods to our store. Everyone benefits when we respect the value of what we have and practice Reuse for the good of our planet. So don't throw all those unused supplies away, donate them to the Art Depot! We are open 12-5 Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. 1301 Bayshore Rd. Unit 202, Villas.

Creative Reuse Center sponsored by the Center For Community Arts

Black Voices of Cape May: A Feeling of Community

CCA’s Community History Committee jubilantly announces the publication of BLACK VOICES OF CAPE MAY; A FEELING OF COMMUNITY. The result of twenty five years of interviews and research, this book is a unique collection of memories and photographs that are a window on African American experiences in Cape May and the surrounding communities. This is the first book on this topic. Ever.

A vital part of Cape May, New Jersey's history was shaped by the vibrant voices and events of the Black community. Most think of the town only as a picturesque remainder of the prosperous white Victorian culture. Black Voices of Cape May - A Feeling of Community is a unique collection of interviews and stored away family photographs that gives us a window on African American experiences in Cape May.

Follow the families throughout the 20th century as they worked, played, and prayed. Learn how this community was built, faced segregation and discrimination, and was ultimately lost due to Cape May's gentrification.

BLACK VOICES OF CAPE MAY is available from Amazon Books.

Celebrate West Cape May’s African American Heritage

Celebrate West Cape May’s African American Heritage during the 150th birthday celebration for legendary educator William J. Moore on Sunday, July 31 from 4-6 p.m. at West Cape May Elementary School. Tickets are $55 and can be purchased at wjmoore.org. Proceeds fund college scholarships for financially challenged high school seniors in Cape May County.

Mr. Moore is pictured here with his daughter, Amaleta, at her master’s degree graduation in 1947 from Hampton University.

WCFA Spotlight: "Where did I leave that thing?" John Sweeder talks moral compass and poetry.

WCFA Spotlights Juneteenth Unity Concert benefitting Harriet Tubman Museum

WCFA Spotlight: Cape May Radio Barbara Groark interview with Roy Steinberg and Cape May Stage.

Black Voices of Cape May; A Feeling of Community

The Center for Community Arts will present a session describing our upcoming book, Black Voices of Cape May; A Feeling of Community at this annual workshop sponsored by Stockton University's Continuing Studies department.

CCA's Community History Project committee has been interviewing Cape May area African American residents for 25 years, and their collection of these oral histories forms the content of the book. Our workshop will describe the processes of interviewing, editing and producing, and members of the committee will talk about what we've learned and how these studies relate to the conference theme of "Migration and Movement".

Presenters are Rachel Dolhanczyk, CCA's Director of Community History Projects, and Yvonne Wright Gary and Hope Gaines, original members of the History Committee.

WCFA Spotlight: Author Eugene DeGeorge "Waiting for the Train"

WCFA 101.5 FM Barbara Groark's Cape May Radio Spotlight on Eugene DeGeorge and his third book "Waiting for the Train"

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