Lawnside, New Jersey

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Lawnside highlighted in Camden County
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Lawnside highlighted in Camden County

Lawnside is a Borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 2,692.

The land that became Lawnside was purchased by Abolitionists for freed and escaped slaves, as well as other African Americans, in 1840.

On April 20, 1926, an "Official Special Election" was held in the Borough of Lawnside. Just one month earlier, on March 23, 1926, Governor of New Jersey A. Harry Moore signed into law New Jersey General Assembly Bill 561, dissolving Center Township, of which Lawnside was a part, and incorporating the Borough of Lawnside. With that First Election, Lawnside was propelled into the local and national spotlight and claimed a place in history, becoming the first independent self-governing African American community north of the Mason-Dixon line.

Lawnside is home to a massive United Parcel Service depot.

Sherron Rolax made his home on Oak Avenue in Lawnside before going to prison. Rolax achieved public fame when his civil rights were allegedly violated by then New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman in 1996. The Governor was riding along in a police patrol car when the police officers stopped Rolax for suspicious activity in Camden, New Jersey; they frisked him, but found nothing. Whitman then also frisked the suspect while a state trooper photographed her, and the image of the smiling governor frisking the suspect was published in newspapers statewide. The photo drew fire from civil rights leaders who saw this as a violation of Rolax's civil rights and an endorsement of racial profiling by the Governor.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Lawnside is located at 39°51′59″N, 75°1′55″W (39.866513, -75.031977)GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 3.6 km² (1.4 mi²), all land.

Lawnside borders Barrington, Cherry Hill, Magnolia, Somerdale, and Tavistock.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 2,692 people, 1,026 households, and 700 families residing in the borough. The population density was 742.4/km² (1,919.7/mi²). There were 1,110 housing units at an average density of 306.1/km² (791.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 1.75% White, 93.61% African American, 1.00% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.48% from other races, and 2.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.38% of the population.

There were 1,026 households out of which 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.1% were married couples living together, 22.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the borough the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 83.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.4 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $45,192, and the median income for a family was $55,197. Males had a median income of $34,881 versus $31,331 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $18,831. About 10.3% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

As part of the 2000 Census, 93.61% of Lawnside's residents identified themselves as being African American. This was the 30th highest percentage of African American people in any place in the United States with 1,000 or more residents identifiying themselves as being of African American ancestry[1].

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

The Mayor of Lawnside Borough is Mark K. Bryant. Members of the Lawnside Borough Council are Juanita Johnson-Clark, Walter A. Lacey, Stephen C. Moore, Junious R. Stanton, Clifford L. Still, Sr. and Mary Ann Wardlow.

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Lawnside is in the First Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 5th Legislative District.[2]

New Jersey's First Congressional District, covering portions of Burlington County, Camden County and Gloucester County, is represented by Rob Andrews (D, Haddon Heights). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 5th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Wayne R. Bryant (D, Camden) and in the Assembly by Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D, Camden) and Joseph J. Roberts (D, Brooklawn). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Camden County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Camden County's Freeholders are: Louis Cappelli, Jr. (Freeholder Director), Edward McDonnell (Freeholder Deputy Director), Riletta L. Cream, Thomas J. Gurick, Jeffrey L. Nash, Joseph Ripa and Carmen Rodriguez.

[edit] Education

The Lawnside Public School serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

For grades 9-12, students attend Haddon Heights High School [1], which serves Haddon Heights, and students from the neighboring communities of Barrington and Lawnside who attend the high school for grades 9-12 as part of sending/receiving relationships with the Haddon Heights School District.

[edit] References

  1. ^ African Indian Communities, accessed June 28, 2006
  2. ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 59, accessed August 30, 2006

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Municipalities of Camden County, New Jersey
(County Seat: Camden)
Boroughs Audubon | Audubon Park | Barrington | Bellmawr | Berlin | Brooklawn | Chesilhurst | Clementon | Collingswood | Gibbsboro | Haddon Heights | Haddonfield | Hi-Nella | Laurel Springs | Lawnside | Lindenwold | Magnolia | Merchantville | Mount Ephraim | Oaklyn | Pine Hill | Pine Valley | Runnemede | Somerdale | Stratford | Tavistock | Woodlynne
Cities Camden | Gloucester
Townships Berlin | Cherry Hill | Gloucester | Haddon | Pennsauken | Voorhees | Waterford | Winslow
CDPs and other Communities Ashland | Barclay-Kingston | Blackwood | Cherry Hill Mall | Echelon | Erlton-Ellisburg | Glendora | Golden Triangle | Greentree | Sicklerville | Springdale
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