Chicken Bone Beach: A legacy of resilience

Chicken Bone Beach was the historic name for the section of shoreline around Missouri Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey, that became a vibrant place for socialization for African Americans during the Jim Crow era. In 1900, black beachgoers were largely restricted to this section of the beach, while other parts of Atlantic City's shoreline were reserved for white visitors. It earned its unique nickname because Black families would often bring picnic meals—frequently fried chicken—to the beach, with leftover chicken bones sometimes left or buried in the sand.

In 1997, Atlantic City officially recognized Chicken Bone Beach as a historic landmark. More recently, in June 2026, a New Jersey Black Heritage Trail marker was proudly unveiled at Missouri Avenue and the Boardwalk, recognizing its profound importance in Black history. We want our visitors to remember the injustice of segregation in Black America and how it strengthened the Black community, bringing them closer together and allowing them to experience community, joy, and resilience, even when they were meant to be limited to isolated areas of public places.