The first African American major of Atlantic City, James Leroy Usry, was born February 2, 1922, in Athens, Georgia. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Atlantic City, New Jersey where Usry attended local schools. In 1939 he graduated from Atlantic City High School.
After high school Usry joined the U.S. Army and served in the segregated 92nd Infantry Division known as the “Black Buffaloes,” the only African-American infantry division to fight in Europe during World War II. The 92nd Division fought in Africa and in the Italian Campaign, where they earned an honored chapter in World War II history. Usry worked with the Army’s Criminal Investigative Division in Italy. During this service, he once went undercover to arrest a soldier who was suspected of a triple murder.
After his military service, Usry completed his college education at predominantly African-American Lincoln University in Pennsylvania earning a Bachelor’s degree in social education in 1946. He later earned a Master’s degree in 1971 from Glassboro State College (renamed Rowan University) in New Jersey.
Between 1946 and 1951 Usry was a professional basketball player. Teammates and fans dubbed him “Big Jim.” During that time, he was a member of the Harlem Renaissance (forerunner of the Harlem Globetrotters) and the Saratoga Harlem Yankees.
Usry began his career in the Atlantic City school system in 1952 as a teacher. Over the next thirty years he rose in the ranks of the school system serving in a variety of capacities: Principal of Indiana Avenue School, Director of Elementary Education, Affirmative Action Officer and, eventually, Assistant Superintendent of the Atlantic City public schools.
In 1982 he turned to politics running for mayor of Atlantic City. He lost the election to Michael Matthews. Two years later Matthews was recalled, and Usry was elected with 62% of the votes to complete Matthew’s term and becoming the first African American to serve as mayor of Atlantic City. Reelected Usry served as mayor until 1990. Usry focused housing, health, and education during his time in office. New housing complexes and daycare and youth centers were built during his tenure in office. He also served a term as President of the Association of Black Mayors.
In 1987 President Ronald Reagan nominated Usry for a two-year term on the National Advisory Council in Educational Research and one year later he became a delegate to the Republican National Convention. On July 28, 1989, Usry and thirteen other politicians were arrested and charged with bribery, conspiracy, official misconduct and accepting unlawful gifts. He refused to resign from office and lost the 1990 mayoral election. Eventually the charges were dropped when Usry pleaded guilty to improper reporting of campaign funds. He agreed to serve 60 hours of community service at the Salvation Army as punishment.
After this incident Usry retired and refrained from politics but remained active in the community. He attended a ceremony to commemorate “Chicken Bone Beach,” the only beach that African Americans were allowed to use prior to the 1950s. The beach was a favorite gathering spot for African American residents, and many African American performers who were in Atlantic City.
James Usry was married to Laverne Young who died in 1980. On January 25, 2002, James Leroy Usry died near Absecon, New Jersey from complications of diabetes and cancer. He was 79.
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“James L. Usry”, https://acfpl.org/markers/28-historical-markers/atlantic-city-historical-markers/261-james-l-usry; “James Usry, 79; First Black Mayor of Atlantic City, N.J,.” https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jan-30-me-passings30.3-story.html; ”Mayor Usry, others arrested in COMSERV sting; only one person eventually convicted,” https://pressofatlanticcity.com/mayor-usry-others-arrested-in-comserv-sting-only-one-person-eventually-convicted/article_abd1b8cc-2803-11e4-b8ae-001a4bcf887a.html; “Usry, James L. 1922 – ,” https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/usry-james-l-1922.
