The Asbury Park African-American Music Project (AP-AMP) Inc. It's rich musical history dates back to the turn of the twentieth century.
is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that celebrates the stories of Springwood Avenue in Asbury Park, New Jersey. OUR MISSION
- Share the music, cultural heritage and stories of Springwood Avenue through oral histories, research, writing, and programs
- Develop accessible resources that reflect Asbury Park’s African American music heritage for the City of Asbury Park and others to use as a basis
for interpretive heritage projects
- Address a lack of representation in traditional historic resources and give voice to the stories of Asbury Park’s African American community
- Engage all who live in and visit Asbury Park in the active exploration, interpretation, understanding, and preservation of Asbury Park African American cultural heritage
ABOUT SPRINGWOOD AVENUE
Springwood Avenue is the heart of Asbury Park's west-side community. Framed within the popular genres of gospel, jazz, and rhythm and blues, Springwood thrived as an enclave of African American musical expression. Throughout the streets on any given night, from one of the many famous clubs that dotted its strip, listeners could hear the musical sounds of not only icons such as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie. But these clubs were only the start of a larger musical springboard that expanded throughout the entire West Side, with local musicians serenading the rest of the town from their backyard to their front porch. Although clubs like the Orchid Lounge and the Turf Club have long closed their doors, the music of Springwood Avenue and the impact of its cultural narrative still permeate the music scene. AP-AMP is working to preserve the Turf Club, the last standing structure that was once a music venue on Springwood Ave., through transforming the former jazz club into a community spot for music and culture while preserving its unique sense of place. OUR RESEARCH
The AP-AMP Research Collection celebrates the People and Places of Springwood Avenue, particularly the extraordinary musical culture. Through a collection of oral histories, photographs, and sound recordings, visitors can continue to enjoy the rich history and the contributions of the African American community which created a unique musical and cultural space within Asbury Park. The research collection is held at the Bruce Springsteen Archives at Monmouth University, and online through our Digital Museum. EXPLORE OUR DIGITAL MUSEUM https://create.passitdown.com/present/5e861cd2802f1730d242e9c9/david
