Newarks of the World, 1977 - 2000

This subseries comprises material related to many of the professional and civic organizations with which Cummings was associated through his work at the NPL and as City Historian, or as a citizen and advocate for the City of Newark.

Organizations and activities that are well represented in this subseries include the [Newark] Bicentennial Commission (Chairman, 1974-1977); New Jersey Library Association (organized NJLA’s 1974 annual meeting in Newark, and member of History and Bibliography Section, Committee on the Bibliography of the Negro, 1966-1975); and the Newark Preservation and Landmarks Committee (founding member, and long-time board member). The material also documents the range of his local commitments, including, but not limited to: Connection Newark: participant in strategic planning meeting (1998); Episcopal Church, Diocese of Newark: Task Force on History; Municipal Careermen of Newark: Vice-president (1978); New Jersey Historical Society: library committee; Newark Festival of People: ad-hoc committee (1985-1987); Newark Master Plan: Cummings was asked for “any input” regarding a draft reexamination report on Newark’s 1990 Master Plan (1999); Newark Public Information Office: assisted with research and writing of promotional material; and Newark Renaissance: advisory committee, and author of the column “Windows on Newark.”

The material is arranged alphabetically