Woman's own ancestry research leads to book about Black community in Ocean City, New Jersey

OCEAN CITY, New Jersey (WPVI) -- Loretta Thompson Harris' journey to find the roots of her family tree led to some interesting finds.

She was able to locate the gravesite of both her great-grandfather and great-grandmother and was even more surprised to learn they were buried in the cemetery right next to her house.

Harris says she never knew her great-grandfather had even lived in Ocean City, New Jersey.

"And then I found out that a lot of friends and neighbors did not know their own story," says Harris. "So my family tree became a community tree."

Harris compiled her research into a book titled, "The Westside: Ocean City in True Color."

"It's really the history of the African American community in Ocean City, going back to the city's founding," says Harris.

The Westside covers about 36 blocks.

"I define it as 2nd Street to 10th Street, West Avenue to Bay Avenue," says Harris.

The book includes photographs, family trees and historical newspaper clippings.

"The first person of color was Jacob Still," she says.

And she discovered that he was related to the well-known American abolitionist William Still.

She says Jacob Still was known for opening the first saltwater taffy shop in Ocean City.

"Based on my research so far, I've come up with over 200 businesses that were started by African Americans," says Harris.

A retail ice business, I. Motley & Sons, was one of those businesses, started by O.C. resident Isaac Motley.

"We had people who built hotels, lots of restaurants," she says.

Harris' great-grandfather helped found St. James A.M.E. Church in Ocean City and it still exists in the Westside today.

"My grandfather, Joseph Armour Thompson, was the second Black policeman on the Ocean City Police Department," she says.

According to the U.S. Census, Ocean City's Black population has been declining for decades, so Harris says she plans to write a few more books to document the history of the Westside.

"I want them to know that we were there, we are there, and that we've contributed to the building of the city from the very beginning," she says.

Th purchase a copy of "The Westside: Ocean City in True Color" - CLICK HERE.