Arthur Ashe became the first (and remains the only) African American male tennis player to win the U.S. Open and Wimbledon singles titles. He was also the first African American man to earn the No. 1 ranking in the world and the first to earn induction into the Tennis Hall of Fame.

Max Manning was a notable pitcher in the Negro league, playing for the Newark Eagles from 1938 to 1949. Manning also served his country in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. After his illustrious sports career, he transitioned into education, reflecting his lifelong commitment to learning and growth. 

William Howard Mays Jr., nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid", was a professional baseball center fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Mays began his career in the Negro Leagues, playing for the Birmingham Black Barons, and spent the rest of his career in the National League (NL), playing for the New York/San Francisco Giants and New York Mets.

In the days when basketball was still divided along the lines of race and color, John “Boy Wonder” Isaacs starred for the New York Renaissance Big Five, the greatest all-black team of the segregated era. Isaacs helped the Rens to more than 350 wins and the first ever World Professional Basketball Tournament championship in Chicago in 1939.

Jerry Izenberg, one of the country’s premier sportswriters, has won countless awards and has published 15th nonfiction books. Writing mostly for the Newark Star-Ledger, his incisive style and trademark revealed the people behind the headlines, held the powerful to account, and tackled racial injustice and other pressing issues of the day.

Larry Doby was an American professional baseball player in the Negro leagues and
Major League Baseball. Doby was the second Black player to break baseball's color
barrier and the first Black player in the American League. He was the second Black to
serve as a manager.

“The Mighty Burner,” was an Olympic track athlete, educator and
visionary. At the 1968 Olympics he won a gold medal in the 4 × 400 m relay and a silver in the individual 400 m. He served as the athletic Director for Stockton College, NJ.

Established in 1973 by Rachel Robinson to perpetuate the memory of her husband, The Jackie Robinson Foundation is a public, nonprofit organization that administers one of the nation’s premier scholarship and leadership development programs for college
students.

Redenia Gilliam-Mosee was employed by Bally's Park Place and its subsequent companies, for twenty-seven years. She was the first African American female Vice-
President in Atlantic City casino industry and was subsequently promoted to Senior Vice-President of Governmental Relations and Planning. She supervised the
construction and renovation of the Atlantic City Boys and Girls Club and the renovation of “Pop” Lloyd Stadium.

Monte Irvin grew up in Orange, NJ and became a baseball player for the Newark Eagles of Negro Leagues and was one of the earliest African Americans to be drafted by the New York Giants (MLB). Irvin was drafted into military and served three years in Europe during World War ll. After his playing career, Irvin was a baseball scout and held an administrative role in the MLB commissioner’s office. He was

inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973.

Sam Lacey was an African American sportswriter, reporter, columnist, editor, and television/radio commentator who worked in the sports journalism field for nine
decades. Credited as a persuasive figure in the movement to racially integrate sports Lacy in 1948 became one of the first Black members of the Baseball Writers
Association of America. In 1997 he received the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for outstanding baseball writing.

Fay Vincent was elected baseball's eighth Commissioner in a unanimous vote of major
league owners on September 13, 1989. Vincent, who five months earlier was named the first Deputy Commissioner of Major League Baseball, succeeded A. Bartlett
Giamatti, who died in office September 1, 1989. Vincent was elected to complete Giamatti's five-year term which was marked by controversy with a players lock out of spring training and the gambling allegations of Pete Rose. Throughout his tenure, Vincent remained supportive of Negro League players.

Former U.S. Congressman, the Reverend Dr. Floyd H. Flake is the senior pastor of the more than 23,000-member Greater Allen A. M. E. Cathedral of New York in Jamaica,
Queens. The church owns expansive commercial and residential developments; a 600-student private school founded by Flake and his wife Elaine, and various commercial and social service enterprises, which has placed it among the nation’s most productive
religious and urban development institutions.

Jean Webster began serving free meals to the poor of the city out of her own home in 1986, cooked in her personal kitchen. Eventually her informal charity expanded into a
substantial operation that moved to Victory First Presbyterian Deliverance Church. Food
was available to any and all who came. At its height, Sister Jean's Kitchen served over 400 people per day with hot meals.

Jim Whalen was born in Philadelphia and attended Temple University where he became a nationally ranked distance swimmer. He was a life-long educator in the Atlantic City Public School system and served three terms as Mayor of Atlantic City. As
mayor he worked to increase public investments in projects such as a convention center, a minor league baseball stadium, road improvements to beautify the city’s
entryways and an entertainment district known as The Walk. Whalen was an elected NJ Assemblyman and State Senator serving on several committees including, Tourism &
Historic Preservation and Health & Human Service

Leonard Coleman is the former president of the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs. After graduating with a degree in history from Princeton University,
Coleman received a master’s in public administration and a master’s in education and
social policy from Harvard University. From 1976 to 1980, Mr. Coleman worked in Africa in mission service for the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States, providing management consultant services in health care, education and church and community development in 17 African countries. In addition, he served as honorary chairman of the board of the Jackie Robinson Foundation for nearly 20 years.

Art Dorrington was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre. Dorrington became the first Black hockey player to sign a National Hockey League contract when he joined the New York Rangers. After retiring from hockey, Dorrington joined the Atlantic County
Sheriff’s Office. In the late 1990s he created the Art Dorrington Ice Hockey Foundation, a program that teaches hockey to children for low-income families in Atlantic City.

John Lewis was the co-founder and chairman of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Lewis led and helped organize many of the seminal moments in the Civil Rights movement, including the Freedom Rides, the 1963 March on Washington, and the Selma to Montgomery March. Lewis served in the United States House of Representatives from 1987 until 2020.

Gordan Parks, one of the greatest photographers of the twentieth century, was a humanitarian with a deep commitment to social justice. He left behind an exceptional
body of work that documents American life and culture the early 1940s into the 2000s, with a focus on race relations, poverty, civil rights, and urban life. Parks was also a
distinguished composer, author, and filmmaker who interacted with many of the leading people of his era- from politicians and artists to athletes and celebrities.

David “Honeyboy” Edwards was a delta blues guitarist and singer from Mississippi. He learned to play music from his father and at the age of 14, left home to begin a life
as an itinerant musician, which he maintained through the 1930s and 1940s. He performed and had a close friendship with famed blues musician Robert Johnson.
Between 1996 and 2000, Edwards was nominated for eight W.C. Handy Blues Music Awards.

Richard Lapchick is a human rights activist, pioneer for racial equality, scholar, author and internationally recognized as an expert on sports issues. He is often described as
“the racial conscience of sport.” At an early age he witnessed the hostility toward his father, Joe Lapchick, when as the coach for the New York Knicks, signed Nat
“Sweetwater” Clifton, the first African American player signed in the NBA in 1950. He is the Director of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) and President of
the Institute for Sport and Social Justice (formerly the National Consortium for Academics and Sport).

Robert W. Peterson was a newspaper writer, a freelance journalist, and the author of
several books on sports and contemporary news events. His primary contribution to baseball research was the seminal Only the Ball Was White, a 1970 book on the Negro Leagues, which remained a foundation for the next few decades of scholarship in the field. Peterson was inspired by his memories of watching barnstorming black players in his hometown of Warren, Pennsylvania, in the late 1930s. He was part of the Special Committee on the Negro Leagues that elected 17 people to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.

James Leroy Usry was the first African American Mayor of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Usry was also a professional basketball player for the famed New York Harlem Renaissance (Rens). He was a graduate of Lincoln University and later earned a master’s degree from Glassboro State College, now Rowan University. As an educator, Usry served as a principal and the assistant superintendent of Atlantic City Public Schools.

The North Jersey Philharmonic Glee Club was formed by Dolores Collins Benjamin in Newark, NJ, in 1939.  It is one of the oldest continuously singing all male groups in
the Mid-Atlantic States and one of the most enduring community-based arts organizations in the United States. NJPGC performs a wide repertoire but has long
recognized and emphasized the importance of preserving African American music, particularly the Spirituals.

Patti Harris was born in North Carolina but grew up in Atlantic City and was a graduate of Atlantic City High School. She was known for her dance performances with Larry
Steel’s Smart Affairs at the famous Kentucky Avenue nightspot, Club Harlem. Her resume also includes performances with the Nicolas Brothers, Pearlie, and Hello Dolly
on Broadway. Pattie was a lifelong participant and champion of the Arts. Harris was also founder and executive artistic director of the Atlantic City Dance Theatre and Centre of Cultural Learning where she taught jazz and tap dance to countless students.

Emilio Navarro, better known as "Millito Navarro," was the first Puerto Rican to play baseball in the American Negro leagues. Navarro was elected to the Puerto Rico
Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992. At the time of his death, at age 105, Navarro was the oldest former professional baseball player and the last surviving player from the
American Negro League. After retiring from professional baseball, Navarro worked as a coach and athletic teacher at schools in Ponce and Caguas.

Dionne Warwick is one of the most successful female artists in history. Warwick was born in East Orange, NJ where she started singing gospel as a child at the New Hope Baptist Church. Known for her collaboration with composers/songwriters Burt Bachrach and Hal David, she has won many six Grammy Awards. She has been inducted into several Halls of Fame including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Warwick is a former
Goodwill Ambassador for the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization

Marvin Beatty is native to Atlantic City. He served with distinction in the US Navy during World War ll. Following the War, he became a Captain in the Atlantic City Fire Department and rose to become the first African American Deputy Chief. Marvin remained involved in numerous community organizations bringing light to darkness and hope to people in low spirits.

Established in 1962, the New York Mets have one of the richest histories of any team in Major League Baseball. Throughout the years, the Mets have given their fans something to cheer for and have become an integral part of community through their humanitarian and charitable work.

John “Buck” O’Neil was a first baseman and manager in the Negro American League, mostly with the Kansas City Monarchs. Following his playing career, he worked as a
scout and became the first African American coach in Major League Baseball. O’Neil became a renowned speaker for Negro League Baseball and played a major role in
opening the Kansas City Negro League Museum. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022 as an executive.

Dr. Billy Taylor was a jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in
Greenville, and from 1994 was the artistic director for jazz at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. For his performances and
professional activities, Taylor received two Peabody Awards; an Emmy; a Grammy; and a place in the Hall of Fame for the International Association of Jazz Educators.

Earl woods was the father of American professional golfer Tiger Woods. Woods started his son in golf at a very early age and coached him exclusively over his first years in the
sport. He later published two books about the process. Woods was previously a US Army officer who served two tours in South Vietnam and retired with the rank of
lieutenant colonel.

The Atlantic City Art Center was a prominent cultural venue located on the historic Atlantic City Boardwalk. It served as a cultural hub in Atlantic City, offering workshops, lectures, and events that engaged the community and visitors alike.

The Hall of Fame, established in 1939, serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United State displaying baseball-related artifacts and exhibits, honoring those who have excelled in playing, managing, and serving the sport.

Dr. Wilson was one of the first Black salesmen for Pepsi Cola helping to change the face of corporate America. He pursued his bachelor’s degree at Hampton University and his medical degree from the University of Geneva. In 1958, Dr. Wilson opened his private practice in Atlantic City where he and his wife, Mary, served the community with distinction. As a ringside physician, he was elected to the NJ Boxing Hall of Fame.

Joseph Brown began his teaching career in Atlantic City in 1974 after graduating from Hampton University. As Band Director and music teacher, Brown created the Atlantic City High School Power Marching Force Band. Under his leadership, the band served as goodwill ambassadors and traveled throughout the east coast. Most notably, the band served as the host band for the Miss America parade. Brown has been recognized for his commitment to and outstanding work with the youth of Atlantic City.

Douglas represented the U.S. in the long jump at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London where he won the bronze medal. As one of the first African American vice presidents of a Fortune 500 company, a mentor to both Olympic athletes and Black businessmen, a pioneer in the development of the African American market for luxury consumer products, and a philanthropist, he opened doors and changed lives.

​Calvin Hill is a graduate of Yale and former professional football player who as a running back played for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Browns. Hill was named to the Pro Bowl four times and helped the Cowboys win Superbowl VI and two NFC titles. Hill sits on the boards of several organizations, works as a corporate motivational speaker, and works for the Dallas Cowboys organization as a consultant who specializes in working with troubled players. He and his wife Janet are the parents of retired NBA star Grant Hill.

Billy Mills is an American Ogalala Lakota former track and field athlete who won a gold medal in the 10,000-meter run (6.2mi) at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.  His 1964 victory is considered one of the greatest Olympic upsets because he was a virtual unknown going into the event. He was the first non-European to win the Olympic event and remains the only winner from the Americas. He was also a United States Marine officer. Mills is the co-founder of the nonprofit Running Strong for American Indian Youth. The mission is to help people fulfill their basic needs- food, water, and shelter while also helping their communities gain self-sufficiency and self-esteem.

Peter Jonathan Westbrook was an American saber fencer. He was a 13-time national and 3-time Pan American Games saber champion, five-time Olympian, and an Olympic bronze medalist.
The Peter Westbrook Foundation Academic Enrichment Program provides one-on-one tutorial support, literacy assistance, SAT, PSAT, and specialized high school exam preparation, along with group workshops and productivity seminars on core academic skills, time management, motivational techniques, and homework habits. 

Wilma Briggs was an American left fielder in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League who played from 1948 through 1954. During her seven seasons with the AAGBL, she had a .258 batting average and is second on the all-time home runs list with 42. She also ranks 14th all-time with 301 RBIs. Briggs stole 108 bases, scored 375 runs and drew 380 bases on balls. Following her baseball career, Briggs had a 23-year career as an elementary school teacher and was an advisor to the movie A League of Their Own.”

Dr. Greene-Chamberlain was the first U.S. national champion in the 440-yard run, as well as the first African American woman to represent the United States internationally in 400-meter and 800-meter races in international competition. Greene-Chamberlain, later served as the first director of the Physical Education and Sports Program for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (UNESCO) In 2007, she was named one of the 100 Most Influential Sports Educators in America by Business Wire. She served on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness from 2006 to 2008. She is also a former Women’s Sports Foundation trustee.

Nikki Giovanni was an American poet, writer, commentator, activist and educator. One of the world's best-known African American poets, her work includes poetry anthologies, poetry recordings, and nonfiction essays, and covers topics ranging from race and social issues to children's literature. A recipient of numerous awards, Giovanni taught at Virginia Tech for 35 years and was conferred the title of University Distinguished Professor Emerita by the university.

Joanna LaSane was an American model and arts administrator in Atlantic City, NJ. LaSane created the Atlantic City Children's Theater program, encouraging children to practice public speaking and build self-confidence. She was a leader in arts organizations, serving on the boards of the Atlantic County Cultural and Heritage Commission, the Atlantic City Arts Commission, and the New Jersey State Council of the Arts.

American former track and field athlete and professional football player. He was the bronze-medal winner in the 200 meters at the 1968 Summer Olympic in Mexico, where he displayed the Black Power salute with Tommie Smith during the playing of The Star-Spangled Banner. The demonstration has been called one of the most overtly political statements in the history of the modern Olympics and have inspired generations of athletes to put principle before personal interest. He was inducted into the US Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2003 and has been awarded an honorary doctorate from three universities. San Jose State University honored former students Smith and Carlos with a 22-foot-high statue of their protest titled Victory Salute.

Dr. Larry Hogan is Professor Emeritus of History from Union College in New Jersey, author of The Forgotten History of African American Baseball, and principal author and editor of Shades of Glory published by National Geographic, as well as several other books on the history of Blacks in America. He is Executive Director of the documentary Before You Can Say Jackie Robinson: Black Baseball in America in the Era of the Color Line. His exhibit on the history of Black baseball has been displayed at venues across the country. His most recent work is Harlem’s First Citizen: John Howard Johnson, A Priest, and his People, in the Making of Harlem.

Margaret Cornelia Morgan Lawrence was an American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, gaining those qualifications in 1948. Her work included clinical care, teaching, and research, particularly into the presence and development of ego strength in inner-city families.

Willye Brown White was an American track and field athlete who took part in five Olympics from 1956 to 1972. She was America's best female long jumper of the time and also competed in the 100 meters sprint. White was a Tennessee State University Tigerbelle under Coach Ed Temple. During her career White won 13 national indoor and outdoor titles and set seven U.S. records in the long jump. In 1999, Sports Illustrated for Women named her one of the 100 greatest women athletes in the 20th century.

Malvin Greston Whitfield was an American athlete, goodwill ambassador, and airman. Nicknamed "Marvelous Mal", he was the Olympic champion in the 800 meters at the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics, and a member of the 1948 gold medal team in the 4 × 400m relay. Overall, Whitfield was a five-time Olympic medalist. After his competitive career, he worked for 47 years as a coach, goodwill ambassador, as well as an athletic mentor in Africa.

Joetta Clark Diggs is a retired track and field champion, specializing in middle distance running. She ran for more than 28 consecutive years never missing an indoor or outdoor season, with her races being in the 800 meters and 1500 meters. A 4-time Olympian,  she competed in every outdoor USA Championships or Olympic trials between 1979 and 2000, winning five outdoor championships.[2] Indoors, she was in the national championship race in 18 of the last 19 years, winning seven times. She is the author of Joetta's "P" Principles for Success, Life Lessons Learned from Track & Field and the executive director of the Joetta Clark Diggs Sports Foundation, which promotes involvement with physical activities for school-aged children and provides opportunities for children in the sports and entertainment industry.

Irvin Acie Cross was an American professional football player and sportscaster. He played cornerback in the National Football League and was a two-time Pro Bowl selection with the Philadelphia Eagles. Working with CBS, Cross was the first African American sports analyst on national television. 

Tap dancer, choreographer, and actor Savion Glover has graced the stage since childhood. He set a record as the youngest person ever to receive a scholarship in the Newark Community School of the Arts. Before he was a teenager, he made his mark starring in the leading role in the Broadway musical The Tap Dance Kid. Glover developed his own dancing style he dubbed "free style hard core." The Tony Award winning dancer eventually worked with dancing greats Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis, Jr. Among his credits are starring roles in major motion pictures like Jelly's Last Jam, a role for which he made history as the youngest ever recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant. Glover continues to influence the lives of young people with a production company that tours schools across the country.

Marvin F. Hill was a life-long educator and worked for the Atlantic City Public Schools for 33 years. Hill became the first assistant principal at New Jersey Avenue School and served as principal of Pennsylvania School before retiring. He became the first African American appointed to serve on the Board Trustees of the Atlantic City Free Public Library and the Board of Governors of Atlantic City Medical Center. He served as the organist at the Hamilton Memorial Methodist Church and the superintendent of the church school. Hill is known for his dedication to the youth of Atlantic City, NJ.

Minoso, nicknamed "the Cuban Comet", was a Cuban professional baseball player. He began his baseball career in the Negro Leagues in 1946 and became an All-Star third baseman with the New York Cubans. He was signed by the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball (MLB) after the 1948 season as baseball color line fell. Minoso went on to become an All-Star Left fielder with the Indians and Chicago White Sox. The first Afro-Latino in the major leagues and the first Black player in White Sox history, as a 1951 rookie he was one of the first Latin Americans to play in an MLB All-Star Game.

Frank Deford was an American sportswriter and novelist. From 1980 until his death in 2017, he was a regular sports commentator on NPR's Morning Edition radio program. Deford wrote for Sport Illustrated magazine and was a correspondent for the Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel television program on HBO. He wrote 18 books, nine of them novels. A member of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame, Deford was six times voted National Sportswriter of the Year by the members of that organization and was twice voted Magazine Writer of the Year by the Washington Journalism Review. Deford served as chairman of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation from 1982 until 1999. He became a cystic-fibrosis advocate after his daughter Alexandra was diagnosed with the illness in 1972. After she died at age 8, he chronicled her life in the memoir Alex: The Life of a Child.

William Harrison "Bones" Dillard was an American track and field athlete, who is the only male in the history of the Olympic Games to win gold in both the 100 meter and the 110-meter hurdles, making him the “World’s Fastest Man” in 1948 and the “World’s Fastest Hurdler” in 1952. Dillard also won gold medals in the 4×100-meter relay in London and Helsinki. He also carried the Olympic Flame in the 1984 and 2002 torch relays and went back to London in 2012 when the Olympics Games returned there. Following his career Dillard worked for the Cleveland Indians baseball franchise in scouting and public relations. Dillard also served three years in the U.S. Army as a member of the all-Black 92nd Infantry Division, better known as the Buffalo Soldiers

Growing up in Atlantic City, Michele Farrell attended the local public schools and graduated from Atlantic City High School. She earned her BA degree from Glassboro State and a master’s degree in Education Administration, and her certification in Substance Awareness. Farrell coached the Atlantic City High School for 23 years in addition to field hockey and track. As a role model and community leader, she has served on the board for the Police Athletic League in Atlantic City and is an avid supporter of the AIDS Alliance. In recognition of her involvement and dedication to youth, Farrell was inducted into the New Jersey Coaches Hall of Fame and the Atlantic City Hall of Fame.

A farm boy from Van Meter, Iowa, Feller was 17 years old when he broke into Major League baseball with the Cleveland Indians. Known as “Bullet Bob” and “Rapid Robert,” his 18-year career was spent entirely with Cleveland. During that time Feller amassed 266 victories, leading the league in wins six time, and strikeouts seven. At age 23, his career was interrupted by his four-year enlistment in the Navy. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Feller became an anti-aircraft gunner aboard the U.S.S. Alabama and came out a highly decorated war veteran earning five campaign ribbons studded with eight battle stars. In 1962, he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Harlem Globetrotters are an American exhibition basketball team. They combine athleticism, theater, entertainment, and comedy in their style of play. Abe Saperstein created the Globetrotters in 1927 and selected Harlem as their home city because at that time, Harlem was considered the center of African American culture. The team was originally composed of the best Black players in the US since they were barred from playing in the leading professional leagues.
Eventually, they combined ability and entertaining “comedic” routine to become perhaps the most famous basketball team of all time. As “ambassadors’ of the game, much of the Globetrotters routine has been based on comedy, incredible ball handling, and making unusual and difficult shots. They became famous for their opening warm-up ball handling done to the whistling version of the popular Sweet Georgia Brown.

Wendy Hilliard is an American former rhythmic gymnast. She is a United States Gymnastic Hall of Fame member and the first African American rhythmic gymnast to compete as a member of the U.S. national team in international competition, including three World Championships. After she retired from competition, Hilliard moved to New York and became a coach. She served as the first African American President of the Women’s Sports Foundation. In 1996, she founded the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation, which has provided free and low-cost gymnastics for urban youth in New York City. In the fall of 2016, she expanded her gymnastics programs to Detroit which serves over 200 youth every week through its after-school classes.

Louis “Red” Klotz was a National Basketball Association professional basketball player as a point guard with the original Baltimore Bullets, and he was best known for forming the teams that play against and toured with the Harlem Globetrotters: the Washington Generals and the New York Nationals. He was the oldest-living NBA champion at the time of his death in 2014. Over Klotz's professional basketball career, he coached or played in over 14,000 games during eight decades and in over 100 countries. Klotz was inducted into the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and became the first non-Globetrotter to receive the Globetrotters' "Legend" award in 2007. He remains the first non-Trotter so honored. The Trotters and Generals retired Klotz's number 3 jersey and raised a banner honoring him to the rafters at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

An educator, Everett worked at Atlantic City High School for 32 years where he also coached wrestling. Upon retiring from the public school system, Everett became the Director of the Champions of Youth program that advanced underserved and disadvantaged youth through community partnerships. He serves as Director for the John Henry “Pop” Lloyd Committee. His ideas and efforts have led to the creation of a bas-relief at Richard Stockton University honoring Negro League Baseball, an original play on Effa Manley and the Negro Leagues, the publication of an educational booklet on Negro League baseball entitled Out From the Shadows, a permanent Pop Lloyd archival collection at Richard Stockton University that includes over 40 pieces of art, and the annual “Pop“ Lloyd Weekend celebration in Atlantic City. He is the author of Character Through Action: The Will to Change.

Kathy Whitmore received her undergraduate degree in Urban Education and a MA in Education from Rowan University. As an outstanding educator, Whitmore worked in various capacities in the Atlantic City Public Schools, first as a classroom teacher before moving to a District Administer. Whitmore is the Co-Founder of the Leadership Studio of Atlantic City whose mission is to elevate the physical and mental well-being of the community through yoga, leadership development, and education.

She is instrumental in serving and strengthening community through her volunteerism and commitment to various organizations, including her church and the John Henry “Pop” Lloyd Committee. Whitmore believes in bringing people together in powerful, transformative ways so that everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Her commitment and love of family stands above all else in her giving.

Jason Kaye earned his undergraduate degree from the George Washington University and his MBA from Drexel University. A native of Miami, Kaye became the Vice President of Flagship Resort Development Corporation, responsible for the operations of three resort and condominium properties. Kaye became immersed in the community and its youth. In partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic City, he founded the Champions of Youth, a program that advanced the lives high school students by exposing them to experiences not traditionally found in the classroom. He served on numerous boards and was the President of the John Brooks Recovery Center, one of New Jersey’s largest substance abuse treatment programs.

Charles Lamont “Charlie” Jenkins was raised in Cambridge and graduated from Rindge in 1953. He was the winner of two Gold Medals in the 1956 Olympics competing in the 400m and 4x400m. He went on to coach Villanova University where one of his charges was his son, Chip. Chip also became an Olympic gold medalist competing in the 4x400m relay at the 1992 Summer Olympics, making it the first time in history that a father and a son won gold medals in the same event. Jenkins went on to work for the U.S. Office of Education.

Leslie Maxie is a retired track and field athlete and subsequently a television broadcast journalist.

Maxie was coached by the legendary Ed Parker and as a member of the Millbrae Lions Track Club, she competed in the High Jump, Triple Jump, 400m and the 100m hurdles.  After high school, Maxie studied Public Policy and Planning at the University of Southern California. She held the school record for 13 years as a 400m hurdler and was on the National Champion 4x400 relay at the 1987 NCAA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships, thus achieving All-American status in both 400 hurdles and the 4x400 relay. Following her athletic career, Maxie went on to become a TV journalist as a general correspondent. She also joined NASCAR as Manager of Communications for the East Regional Medial Outreach.

Bill White was a former Major League baseball first baseman who played for the New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, and the Philadelphia Phillies. He was an eight-time All Star and seven-time Gold Glove winner who earned a championship as a top contributor in the 1964 World Series.

White became a full-time sportscaster after his playing career ended in 1969 and was the play-by-play man and color analyst for New York Yankees television and radio broadcasts for 18 years.

In 1989, White was elected President of the National League to replace Bart Giamatti, who succeeded Peter Ueberroth as Commissioner. White served as National League president until he retired in 1994.

George Taliaferro was a football player who was the first African American drafted by a National Football League team in 1949. He became the first Black player to start at quarterback in the post-color bar era. Earlier in his career, Taliaferro was an All-American running back for Indiana University, and despite the prejudice of the times, led the Hoosiers team to their only undefeated Big Ten Conference championship during his freshman year in 1945. In later years, he became a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Baltimore, advised prisoners adjusting to society upon their release, got his master’s degree in social work at Howard University, taught at Maryland, was dean of students at Morgan State, and returned to Indiana as a professor and special assistant to the president.

Caroline “Cooke” Till, owner of Steve and Cookies by the Bay in Margate, is a restaurant owner, an entrepreneur and philanthropist. Her passion for “feeding people, mind, body, and soul” resonates throughout her extensive community service. A graduate of Stockton University, she received a master’s in nutrition from Drexel University. Among Till’s many accomplishments, she has been nominated for a James Beard Award for Outstanding Hospitality in 2022. She was also a semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurateur in 2020. The James Beard Foundation awards recognize excellence in the culinary arts, hospitality, and media. Till’s latest non-profit endeavor, A Meaningful Purpose at Reed’s Farm, is dedicated to promoting regenerative agriculture and sustainable living. The vision extends beyond farming and aims to create a hub for community engagement and education, where individuals of all ages can come together to learn, grow, and share.

Vera Clemente was a Puerto Rican philanthropist who was the head of the Roberto Clemente Foundation and a goodwill ambassador for Major League Baseball. She was the wife of National Baseball Hall of Fame baseball player, Roberto Clemente, who died in a plane crash attempting to bring earthquake relief to Nicaragua. In his memory, she established the Ciudad Deportiva, a sports facility in Puerto Rico, supported by grants, loans, and an annual telethon that she hosted.

Stockton University is a public university in Galloway Township, New Jersey. It is part of New Jersey's public system of higher education. It is named for Richard Stockton, one of the New Jersey signers of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Founded in 1969, Stockton accepted its charter class in 1971. It is the repository for the John Henry “Pop” Lloyd archival collection and the Out of the Shadows Negro League bas relief.

A life-long resident of Atlantic City, Ron Jordon was educated in the public schools and graduated from Atlantic City High School, Class of 1953. After spending three years in the United States Army, he worked in sales for 35 years. Jordon’s commitment to his hometown and dedication to community service are reflected in his participation in and leadership of professional organizations. In addition to a lifetime of community service, he is best known for his undying support of his beloved NFL Philadelphia Eagles.

Peter Yarrow was an American singer and songwriter who found fame as a member of the 1960s folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary along with Paul Stookey and Mary Travers. Yarrow co-wrote one of the group's best-known hits, "Puff, the Magic Dragon". He was also a political activist and supported causes that ranged from opposition to the Vietnam War to school anti bullying programs. Yarrow helped start Operation Respect, a nonprofit organization that brings to children, in schools and camps, a curriculum of tolerance and respect for each other's differences.

Donna de Verona is an American former swimmer, Olympic champion, activist, and television sportscaster. De Varona attended Santa Clara High School in California and qualified for the U. S. Olympic swimming team at age 13. During her a career, she set eighteen world best times, world records, and won gold medals in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. At the age of 17, she appeared on ABC’s Wide World of Sports, becoming the youngest and one of the first women sportscasters for a national network. Her groundbreaking career has earned her an Emmy and the opportunity to cover a wide variety of sports events, including 17 winter and summer Olympic games. De Varona serves on the executive board of Special.

Kathy Kusner is an American equestrian and Olympic medalist in show jumping. She was one of the first women to ride for the United States Equestrian Team, the first licensed female jockey, and the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in equestrian competition. 

In 1990, Kusner founded the organization, Horses in the Hood (HHLA), which brought at-risk inner-city children in the Los Angeles area to a five-day horse and riding camp. By 2014, it was recorded that over 928 children and adults had taken part in 91 horse camps through HHLA. The camps allowed children to work with horses and develop emotional and personal bonds through learning the care and riding of horses.

Ralph Peterson was born in Philadelphia and moved to Pleasantville, NJ, where he graduated from Pleasantville High School in 1950. He then enlisted in the United States Air Force and in 1958 joined the Pleasantville Police Department. Peterson earned degrees from Atlantic Community College and Stockton University. Peterson started Pete's Boys, a precursor of the Police Athletic League. The Pete’s Boys program included softball and boxing and was a popular for youth activities in the community. In 1982, he became the first African American to be appointed Chief of Police and served the Pleasantville community in that capacity for 33 ½ years. Chief Peterson was elected in 1992, as the city's first African American mayor.

Dr. Guenther has been involved in public education for almost four decades.  Dr. Guenther serves as superintendent of the Atlantic County Vocational School District (ACIT), a position he has held since 2004. During Dr. Guenther’s tenure, ACIT has been transformed from a small shared-time vocational school to a thriving comprehensive career and technical high school with approximately 1900 students in 19 different career programs with a full array of academic courses as well as varsity sports, activities, and performing arts. ACIT has been recognized with a National Blue-Ribbon designation by the US Department of Education and by US News & World Report in their “America’s Best High Schools” edition. 

Dr. Guenther has been actively involved in his community. He began his career in public service as a member of the Brigantine Board of Education, was elected to the Brigantine City Council and as mayor for six consecutive terms.

Shermaine Gunter-Gary was born and raised in Atlantic City where she became the first Director of Health and Human Services. She is the founder and Executive Director of the Atlantic County Council of Youth Programs, Inc. which provides such programs as, the Rites of Passage Programs, the Atlantic City Theater Guild, the Youth Entrepreneur Program and the Venice Park Basketball Program. Gunter-Gary presently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Empowerment Tools Coalition, Inc., a non-profit committed to assisting small community-based organizations and producing youth programs for the betterment of our community. The Youth Entrepreneur Program has trained many young adults to run their own business and for a short while, the program prided itself with its own business City Swirls, a unique ice cream shop. Gunter-Gary also serves as a life coach, mentor, tutor and trainer. She has had the pleasure to serve on many boards throughout the State and has been appointed to several blue-ribbon committees.