Black Legacy of Historic Cape May: Unexpected History

The exhibit heralds renowned Black residents and visitors of Cape May. Cape May's Black residents have shaped the city's identity in many ways, creating a legacy extensively documented and officially recognized in 2024 as important to the rich culture of the city, elevating and enhancing the city's National Historic Landmark status. Prominent Black abolitionists, civil rights leaders, business leaders, educators and artists made Cape May a part of their lives in widely known and lesser-known ways. The town hosted influential figures like Marian Anderson, Paul Robeson, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Martin Luther King, Jr., leaving a legacy of culture, activism, and resilience.