Another exciting event for the record books, thanks to the outcome in Philadelphia at Uncle Bobbie's Coffee and Books in Germantown. You know that you're off to a good start when the first person you see tells you that there is a photo of their mother inside of the book. This beautiful lady said to me, "I drove all the way from Washington, D.C. for your signing." She even had proof that her mom was in the book. I mention that because it looks like I may need to see a photo of the relative due to duplicate claims. I have heard from two different people, claiming that the same person was their mother on the front cover of the book. When I inquired with the second person claiming their family member was the same, there was no relation between the two.
The entire discussion will soon be available on Uncle Bobbie's Youtube page as well, which is very exciting. It expands the knowledge of this hidden slice of American history. There was a crowd of about at least fifty people, many of whom had plenty of beach tales to share. They asked some very interesting questions and commentary. What intrigued me the most is the comments of an audience member who said that her memory of Chicken Bone Beach was nothing like what we discussed. I am hoping that she truly took the time to read the entire book, once she returned home. She will surely discover that the experience of being black in America during the enforcement of Jim Crow laws by no means was a "fairytale." Photographer, John W. Mosley captured Blacks enjoying themselves leisurely, but inclusive of the images are shared testimonies of people that I interviewed who shared with me their experiences of racism in Atlantic City.
I am so grateful that I get to not only participate in book signings but to hear the voices and opinions of others as it pertains to their experiences visiting Chicken Bone Beach. It continues to add to the layers of history wrapped around this "48 blocks" of a place called Atlantic City.