John T. Cunningham Collection

John T. Cunningham (1915-2012) journalist, author, and historian, was born in Newark, attended the Morristown schools, and graduated from Drew University in 1938. He joined the Newark News as a reporter in 1939 and went on to write more than 50 books and innumerable articles on New Jersey history. He and his wife Dorothy B. Cunningham had three children, Ruth, Jay, and Richard; the couple resided for many years in Florham Park, NJ. Cunningham served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He was a member of the Morristown United Methodist Church.

Among his best-known publications are: "Made in New Jersey" (1954),"New Jersey: America's Main Road" (1966), "New Jersey: A Mirror on America," "Clara Maass: A Nurse, A Hospital, A Spirit" (1968), "Colonial New Jersey" (1971), "University in the Forest: The Story of Drew University" (1972), "Baseball in New Jersey: The Game of History" (1995), and "The Uncertain Revolution: Washington and the Continental Army at Morristown" (2007). His "Newark," which has become the standard history of the city, was published in 1966 and revised and reissued in 1988 and again in 2002. In addition to his published works he produced a number of audio-visual materials designed for use in schools. He founded Afton Publishing in the early 1970s as an outgrowth of his school curriculum work.

He was the recipient of nine honorary degrees and served as President of the New Jersey Historical Society and Chair of the New Jersey Historical Commission. He received four Awards of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History and won an Emmy Award for his film, "Dreams of Distant Shores."

John Cunningham died at Morristown Medical Center on June 7, 2012.