Residents say West Side, Black and LGBTQ histories need stronger presence in preservation plan

Multiple participants and poll responses identified underrepresented histories that they want included in the preservation update, naming Black history, LGBTQ history, immigrant communities, West Side neighborhoods and Asbury Parks music heritage as priorities.

In a live poll read by a facilitator, contributors listed "racial discrimination, the richness of black history and LGBTQ history," "the Stories of Black and Queer Community," and Cookman Avenue businesses and manufacturing along Memorial Drive as examples of resources that need greater recognition. Brian Knight and the consultant team said these social histories represent a newer wave of preservation that focuses on community stories rather than only architectural landmarks.

Why it matters: recognizing underrepresented cultural histories can shape what sites are documented and prioritized for protection and can broaden eligibility for certain grants and community-driven programs. Several residents suggested expanded surveys, oral-history projects and neighborhood-level documentation to capture these stories.

Next steps: consultants recommended additional surveys and research work to identify buildings and places that carry these social histories and to develop material for the plan that would support nominations and programming.