The Asbury Park African-American Music Project (AP-AMP) Inc. celebrates the stories of Springwood Avenue in Asbury Park, New Jersey. 

A volunteer-run, community-driven project, we invite you to share your story and get involved.

The mission of AP-AMP is to:

• share the music, cultural heritage and stories of Springwood Avenue through oral histories, research, writing, and programs
• develop accessible resources that reflect Asbury Park’s African American music heritage for the City of Asbury Park and others to use as a basis for interpretive heritage projects 
• address a lack of representation in traditional historic resources and give voice to the stories of Asbury Park’s African American community
• engage all who live in and visit Asbury Park in the active exploration, interpretation, understanding, and preservation of Asbury Park African American cultural heritage

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Past Events

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Jazz Cocktail Sip

Thanks to everyone who attended our Jazz Cocktail Sip on June 5, 2022! The event was held in the garden of Blackbird Commons (131 Atkins Ave.), down the street from the Turf Club. The evening featured live jazz by the Jimmy Givens Trio, southern food, cocktails, and the Turf Club Story!

Photos by Conni Freestone

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WHAT WE DO

Research and Interviews

Since the beginning of AP-AMP in 2017, we have filmed interviews with locals musicians and community members who were part of the music scene on Springwood Avenue.

Other research activities includes recreating historic maps of Springwood Avenue and collecting photographs.

Our oral history interviews and photographs are held at the Bruce Springsteen Archives at Monmouth University, and online through our Digital Museum.

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Youth and Community Education

We are proud to partner with the Asbury Park Public School District, the Asbury Park Public Library, and other community partners to offer educational events and cross-curricular lesson plans dedicated to the history of Asbury Park’s African-American community.

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NEWS & EVENTS

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New Jersey Council for the Humanities
“Adaptation & Innovation: COVID-19 Response Grants in New Jersey“

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NBC New York Live:
“Neighborhood Hot Spot: Asbury Park’s African American Music Project”

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Thank you to everyone who joined us on June 21 for the official Launch Party for the Asbury Park African-American Music Project (AP-AMP) Inc.!

Special thanks to the Danny Clinch Transparent Gallery for hosting the event, and to the musicians who donated their time and talents!

And thank you to New Jersey Natural Gas for presenting us with a $5,000 Challenge Grant check!

Photos: Conni Freestone

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Funding for the Asbury Park African-American Music Project is provided in part by:

• Telling the Full History Fund — a program from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and made possible through the National Endowment for the Humanities’ American Rescue Plan Humanities Grantmaking for Organizations
• A Wild Tonic
• African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a program from the National Trust for Historic Preservation
• Anserve Inc.
• Asbury Band Aid
• Asbury Park Arts Council
• Asbury Park Distilling Co.
• Beach Haus Brewery
• New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of cultural affairs within the Department of State
• New Jersey Natural Gas
• New Jersey Council for the Humanities
• Monmouth Arts
• Monmouth County Historical Commission through funding from the New Jersey Historical Commission and the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders
• Tito’s Handmade Vodka
• Walmart Giving
• Vin Gopal Civic Association
  
• Individual supporters

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Contact

You can find a few short videos that share some of these stories on YouTube: Asbury Park African American Music Heritage Project 

For more information, please email us: apaamhp@gmail.com

or write to us:
Asbury Park African-American Music Project Inc.
PO Box 485
Asbury Park, NJ 07712

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Board of Directors:

Jennifer Souder
Yvonne Clayton
Kathleen Melgar
Melissa Keeling
Phil Unger

Advisory Committee:

Bruce Booker
Ruben Bray
Charles Trott

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