Flyer encouraging Newark community members to vote in the Model Cities Neighborhood Council election on April 22, 1968. Model Cities was a federally funded grant program to cities with a mandate to plan integrated designs for the “Model Neighborhood.” –Credit: Junius Williams Collection
A speech written by William A. Mercer, Coordinator of the Business and Industrial Coordinating Council (BICC), that he presented at the National Conference on Black Power in Newark. The Black Power Conference began just days after the 1967 Newark Rebellion had come to a close and brought a wide array of national Civil Rights and Black Power leaders to Newark. — Credit: Newark Public Library
Brochure distributed by the Gibson Civic Association to promote Ken Gibson’s 1970 Mayoral campaign in Newark. Gibson became the first Black mayor of a major northeastern city after defeating incumbent Mayor Hugh Addonizio in the election.
Flyer for the “Community Slate” for the United Community Corporation (UCC) Board of Trustees election. The flyer provides a brief biography of each of the candidates, along with instructions for voting for the slate. In addition to gaining community representation in the UCC, the act of voting for leadership positions in the antipoverty agency was an important aspect of preparing Newark’s Black and Puerto Rican communities for participation in electoral politics in the city. — Credit: Newark Public Library
Article from the Advance newspaper in 1966 covering a recommendation from the Business and Industrial Coordinating Council (BICC) and Essex County Grand Jurors Association to expand the Essex County Vocational School system to meet the demands for education and job training in skilled employment. The BICC was established in the wake of the contentious protests at the Barringer High School construction sites in July 1963. — Credit: Newark Public Library
Letter to the Editor of the New Jersey Afro-American newspaper commemorating the first anniversary of the Business and Industrial Coordinating Council’s founding. The letter, from the BICC, highlights some of the accomplishments of the organization during its first year. — Credit: New Jersey Afro-American, Newark Public Library
Business card of William Mercer, BICC Coordinator and Assistant Director of the Skill Escalation and Employment Development (SEED) program. The BICC was established in the wake of the contentious protests at the Barringer High School construction sites in July 1963. — Credit: Newark Public Library
Note from the pamphlet: “This series of articles on the efforts of the Newark Business and Industrial Coordinating Committee to assist Negroes and Puerto Ricans in gaining employment was published by The Newark News in its issues of March 22-26, 1964. These pamphlets have been prepared by The News for distribution by the committee.” The BICC was established in the wake of the contentious protests at the Barringer High School construction sites in July 1963. — Credit: Doug Eldridge, The Newark News
Memo from William Mercer, coordinator of the Business Industrial Coordinating Committee (BICC) to the BICC Executive Committee, in which he describes the City of Newark as “ready to explode.” Mercer cites some of the causes of heightened tension, including: the Medical School fight, Parker-Callaghan dispute, and the National Black Power Conference planned for July. — Credit: Newark Public Library
