Whitesboro Citizens Reunion Showcases Benefits of Education

WHITESBORO – The 27th Annual “Whitesboro Reunion of Concerned Citizens” took place Sept. 4-6 at the community’s MLK Community Center on West Main Street. This year’s theme was “The Importance of Education.”
Keynote remarks were by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, of Baltimore, Md. Other speakers included Rochelle Hendricks, Amistad Foundation of the N.J. Department of Education, which helps to incorporate African-American history into state school social studies curriculums.
Middle Township Mayor Timothy Donohue and prominent entrepreneur, partner of Oprah Winfrey and Whitesboro native, Stedman Graham also stressed the importance of education and community service.
Graham said, “I love this community, that’s why I have been here for every one of the 27 years we’ve been holding these reunions and I can’t agree more that the theme this year of education and community service is the right one for Whitesboro in 2015.”
Activities for All
Family-oriented events included a children’s activity tent with book bag giveaways, a bike decorating contest, face painting, crafts, live music and food vendors selling fried chicken and meat pies.
Six-year-old first grader Valentina Miller belted out the national anthem to wild applause having completely and perfectly memorized the lyrics.
Importance of a Good Education
Rawlings-Blake noted that for her, growing up in Baltimore, education was consistently emphasized as a “way out” by her mother, a medical doctor and her father, a city legislator and teacher.
“The civil unrest Baltimore recently experienced has some of its roots in the fact that for many African-American men they feel they have no hope, no future, they are not well prepared for life and cannot provide for their families because of their lack of education,” said Rawlings.
“The school children of the neighborhoods where the riots occurred could not believe that their schools were destroyed by the violence that occurred. I am proud, however, that we will be receiving $1 billion in funding to construct new modern schools for the children of our residents so that they can have a bright future,” she added.
Honoring Centenarian-Plus Citizens
The community honored two of its oldest citizens. Florina Ball passed away the previous month at 106 years of age. Arriela Richardson attended the ceremony at 103 years of age.
Both women were born in the deep South, made their way north for better economic opportunities and had deep church and business roots in the community. 
Whitesboro Established as a Beacon of Economic Hope
Per website information, Whitesboro was established in 1902 as a town exclusively for African Americans.
The idea came in response to increasing white resistance to black residents in Cape May County. The African-American Equitable Industrial Association, founded by Rev. J.W. Fishburn and four other members of Cape May City’s AME Zion Church, purchased land in an effort inspired by the self-help philosophy of Booker T. Washington.
With help of many investors from the South, most notably the George H. White Land Improvement Company, the association purchased 2,000 acres of land approximately 10 miles north of Cape May for $14,000.
In December 1901, four months after the purchase was finalized, advertisements began appearing for the sale of the lots in magazines such as “Colored American.”
Prospective inhabitants had to be of “good character,” and in the spirit of Washington needed to possess steady and industrious habits.
Once approved, the “colonist” would receive a number of lots, each 50 feet by 150 feet (about a sixth of an acre) for a down payment of $5 per lot and a promise to till the land.
Residents were under no obligation to build a home or any other structure on their lot, but the land was promised to be good for growing farm produce and raising chickens, so building homes was encouraged. 
Colonists had 10 years to pay off the initial purchase price of $50 and were charged an additional $2 to $5 a month depending on their income. 
Relatively few of the first colonists were actually from New Jersey as the Equitable Association had hoped; most of them were migrants from Virginia or North Carolina, where the name “George White” was familiar.
In March 1902 the town named itself “Whitesboro” after its most famous investor, George White, who when his term ended in 1901, was the last black Congressional representative until 1929.
Whitesboro’s population grew steadily if modestly reaching 100 residents in 1906. By 1909 Whitesboro boasted two churches, an industrial school for children, a railroad station, a post office and a hotel, all built by residents. 
The town was also on three railroad lines including one that went east to the Atlantic Coast. The slow steady growth in population continued until the Great Depression. Nonetheless, the town survived financial downturn and continues to exist with approximately 1,000 residents.  
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.