Paterson ( ) is the largest

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

in and the county seat of

Passaic County Passaic County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of New Jersey that is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the population of Passaic County was enumerated at 524,118, an increase of 22,892 (4.6%) from t ...

, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.New Jersey County Map

New Jersey Department of State The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing artistic, cultural, and historical programs within the U.S. state of New Jersey, as we ...

. Accessed July 10, 2017. As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, its population was 159,732, rendering it New Jersey's third-most-populous city. The Census Bureau's

Population Estimates Program The Population Estimates Program (PEP) is a program of the U.S. Census Bureau that publishes annual population estimates and estimates of birth, death, and international migration rates for people in the United States. In addition to publishing tho ...

calculated that the city's population was 157,794 in 2021, ranking the city as the 163rd-most-populous in the country. Paterson is known as the Silk City for its dominant role in silk production during the latter half of the 19th century.Thomasch, Paul
"Irene another blow to struggling New Jersey city"
Reuters, September 1, 2011. Accessed January 24, 2012. "Nicknamed the 'Silk City' for its 19th-century silk factories, Paterson has a place in labor history as the site of a six-month strike in 1913 by the Industrial Workers of the World, or 'Wobblies,' who were viewed as a threat to capitalism at a time when the United States had a radical labor movement." It has since evolved into a major destination for Hispanic immigrants as well as for immigrants from Turkey, the Arab world, and South Asia. Paterson has the nation's second-largest per capita

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

population,"Robert Menendez, New Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair: 'No Daylight Between US, Israel On My Watch'"
'' The Algemeiner'', March 13, 2013. Accessed January 27, 2015. "JNS.org asked Menendez if his public support for the Jewish community and for Israel in any way has conflicted with his work in diverse New Jersey communities such as Paterson, a city that is home to the second-largest Muslim population in the U.S. as well as a mosque, the Islamic Center of Passaic County, whose leader, Mohammad Qatanani, is allegedly a member of Hamas." and between 75 and 100 languages are spoken in Paterson, many of them Arabic dialects.

History

The area of Paterson was inhabited by the Algonquian-speaking Native American

Acquackanonk tribe The Acquackanonk were a Lenape group whose territory was on the Passaic RiverIndian Tribes of Hudson's River; Ruttenber, E.M.; Hope Farm Press, 3rd ed, 2001, in northern New Jersey. They spoke the same dialect (Unami) and shared the same totem (tu ...

of the

Lenape The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory includ ...

, also known as the Delaware Indians. The land was known as the

Lenapehoking Lenapehoking (Unami: ''Lënapehòkink'') is widely translated as ' homelands of the Lenape', which in the 16th and 17th centuries, ranged along the Eastern seaboard from western Connecticut to Delaware, and encompassed the territory adjacent to th ...

. The Dutch claimed the land as New Netherlands, followed by the British as the Province of New Jersey.Scott, William Winfield
"The Founding of Passaic 250 years ago"
, Passaic County Historical Society, September 1, 1929. Accessed January 27, 2015.

Establishment

In 1791,

Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first United States secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795. Born out of wedlock in Charlest ...

(1755/57–1804), first United States Secretary of the Treasury, helped found the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures (S.U.M.), which helped encourage the harnessing of energy from the

Great Falls of the Passaic River The Great Falls of the Passaic River is a prominent waterfall, high, on the Passaic River in the city of Paterson in Passaic County, New Jersey. The falls and surrounding area are protected as part of the Paterson Great Falls National Histor ...

to secure economic independence from British manufacturers. The society founded Paterson, which became the cradle of the industrial revolution in America. Paterson was named for William Paterson, statesman, signer of the Constitution and Governor of New Jersey, who signed the 1792 charter that established the Town of Paterson. Architect, engineer, and city planner Pierre (Peter) Charles L'Enfant (1754–1825), who had earlier developed the initial plans for Washington, D.C., was the first planner for the S.U.M. project. His plan proposed to harness the power of the Great Falls through a channel in the rock and an aqueduct. The society's directors felt he was taking too long and was over budget, and he was replaced by Peter Colt, who used a less complicated reservoir system to get the water flowing to factories in 1794. Eventually, Colt's system developed some problems and a scheme resembling L'Enfant's original plan was used after 1846. Paterson was originally formed as a township from portions of

Acquackanonk Township Acquackanonk Township was a township that existed in New Jersey, United States, from 1693 until 1917, first in Essex County and then in Passaic County. History Patent The land on which the town was situated was at one time owned by the Surveyor ...

on April 11, 1831, while the area was still part of Essex County. It became part of the newly created Passaic County on February 7, 1837, and was incorporated as a city on April 14, 1851, based on the results of a referendum held that day. The city was reincorporated on March 14, 1861.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 210. Accessed January 24, 2012.

Industrial growth

The high Great Falls and a system of water raceways that harnessed the falls' power provided power for the mills in the area until 1914 and fostered growth of the city. The district originally included dozens of mill buildings and other manufacturing structures associated with the textile industry and, later, the firearms, silk, and

railroad locomotive A locomotive or engine is a rail transport vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit, motor coach, railcar or power car; the us ...

manufacturing industries. In the latter half of the 19th century, silk production became the dominant industry and formed the basis of Paterson's most prosperous period, earning it the nickname "Silk City." In 1835, Samuel Colt began producing firearms in Paterson, but within a few years he moved his business to

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...

. Later in the 19th century, Paterson was the site of early experiments with submarines by Irish-American inventor John Philip Holland. Two of Holland's early models—one found at the bottom of the Passaic River—are on display in the Paterson Museum, housed in the former Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works near the Passaic Falls. Behind Newark and New York, the brewing industry was booming in Paterson in the late 1800s. Braun Brewery, Sprattler & Mennell, Graham Brewery, The Katz Brothers, and Burton Brewery merged in 1890 to form

Paterson Consolidated Brewing Company Paterson Consolidated Brewing Company is a conglomerate (company), conglomerate brewery that came about in 1890 with the union of four breweries Braun Brewery, Sprattler & Mennell, Graham Brewery, The Katz Brothers, and Burton Brewery after an En ...

. Hinchliffe Brewing and Malting Company, founded in 1861, produced 75,000 barrels a year from its state-of-the-art facility at 63 Governor Street. All the breweries closed during Prohibition. The city was a mecca for immigrant laborers, who worked in its factories, particularly Italian weavers from the Naples region. Paterson was the site of historic labor unrest that focused on the six-month-long Paterson silk strike of 1913 that demanded the eight-hour day and better working conditions. It was defeated, with workers returning at the end of the strike without having negotiated any changes. In 1919, Paterson was one of eight locations bombed by self-identified anarchists. According to the New Jersey Historical Commission, Paterson’s industrialism ended “as the economy and technological needs of the United States changed. By 1983, Paterson was the fifth poorest city in the United States. The town that had called itself Silk City, the Iron City, and the Cotton City, was in economic ruin.” Once millwork and production left the city, Paterson’s poverty became reminiscent of what occurred in the towns surrounding the Appalachian Mountains once the coal mining industry ended. In 2020, 25.2% of Paterson residents lived in poverty.

Athletics

From 1932 to 1933, Paterson constructed Hinchliffe Stadium, an Art Deco concrete stadium.Hinchliffe Stadium
National Trust for Historic Preservation. Originally called City Stadium, it was renamed in honor of Mayor John V. Hinchliffe and his uncle John Hinchliffe.Alfred M. Martin & Alfred T. Martin, ''The Negro Leagues in New Jersey: A History'' (McFarland, 2008), pp. 21-23. The New York Black Yankees of the Negro National League played at the stadium from 1933 to 1937 and from 1939 to 1945. Professional football teams, including the Paterson Panthers, Newark Bears, and Jersey City Giants, played here. The stadium was also a venue for other professional and high school athletic competitions, boxing matches, fireworks displays, and music concerts. The comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello performed at Hinchliffe before boxing matches (Abbott was from the coastal New Jersey city of Asbury Park and Costello was a Paterson native).Malinconico, Joe
"Paterson's Hinchliffe Stadium is a keystone in the history of Negro Leagues baseball"
''Paterson Press'', October 3, 2018. The stadium was acquired by Paterson Public Schools since 1963 and closed in 1996. It has fallen into disrepair, although preservation and restoration efforts have taken place. The stadium is one of two surviving

Negro league baseball The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans and, to a lesser extent, Latin Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be ...

stadiums, the other being Birmingham, Alabama's Rickwood Field. Hinchliffe Stadium is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The stadium is currently home to the New Jersey Jackals minor league baseball team.

Post–World War II era

During World War II Paterson played an important part in the aircraft engine industry, but by the end of the war urban areas were in decline and Paterson was no exception. Since the late 1960s the city has suffered high unemployment rates and white flight. Competition from malls in upscale neighboring towns like Wayne and Paramus have forced the big chain stores out of Paterson's downtown. The biggest industries are now small businesses, with the decline of the city's industrial base. But the city still attracts many immigrants, who have revived its economy, especially through small businesses. The downtown area has been struck by massive fires several times, most recently on January 17, 1991. In this fire nearly a whole city block (bordered on the north and south by Main Street and Washington Street and on the east and west by Ellison Street and College Boulevard, a stretch of Van Houten Street dominated by Passaic County Community College) was engulfed in flames due to an electrical fire in the basement of a bar at 161 Main Street and spread to other buildings. Firefighter John A. Nicosia, 28, of Engine 4 went missing in the fire, having gotten lost in the basement. His body was recovered two days later. A plaque honoring his memory was later placed on a wall near the area. The area was so badly damaged that most of the burned buildings were demolished, with an outdoor mall standing in their place. The most notable of the destroyed buildings was the Meyer Brothers department store, which closed in 1987 and had since been parceled out. Paterson includes numerous locations listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including museums, civic buildings such as

City Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...

, Hinchliffe Stadium, Public School Number Two and the Danforth Memorial Library, churches ( Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and

St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church is a historic church at 74 Cianci Street in Paterson, Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. It was built in 1836 and added to the National Register in 1978. See also *National Register of Historic Plac ...

), individual residences, such as Lambert Castle, and districts of the city, such as the Paterson Downtown Commercial Historic District, the Great Falls/Society for the Establishment of Useful Manufactures Historic District and the Eastside Park Historic District. In August 2011, Paterson was severely affected in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, particularly by flooding of the

Passaic River Passaic River ( ) is a river, approximately long, in Northern New Jersey. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburban northern New Jersey, ...

, where waters rose to levels unseen for 100 years, leading to the displacement of thousands and the closure of bridges over the river. Touring the area with Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano declared, "This is as bad as I've seen, and I've been in eight states that have been impacted by Irene." The same day, President Obama declared New Jersey a disaster area, and announced that he would visit the city.

Geography

Paterson is at the bottom part of Passaic County, which is near the north edge of New Jersey, as a county that spans some hilly areas and has dozens of lakes. The county covers a region about . The region is split by major roads, including portions of

Interstate 80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...

, which runs through Paterson (see map ''at left)''. The Garden State Parkway (GSP) cuts across the south of Paterson, near Clifton, New Jersey. The

winds northeast past Totowa into Paterson, where the river then turns south to Passaic town, on the way to Newark, further south. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 8.71 square miles (22.55 km²), including 8.41 square miles (21.79 km²) of land and 0.29 square miles (0.76 km²) of water (3.38%). Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include Riverside and Totowa. The city borders the municipalities of

Clifton Clifton may refer to: People *Clifton (surname) *Clifton (given name) Places Australia * Clifton, Queensland, a town **Shire of Clifton *Clifton, New South Wales, a suburb of Wollongong *Clifton, Western Australia Canada *Clifton, Nova Scotia ...

, Haledon, Hawthorne, Prospect Park, Totowa and Woodland Park (formerly West Paterson) in Passaic County; and both Elmwood Park (formerly East Paterson) and Fair Lawn in

Bergen County Bergen County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Passaic falls

The Great Falls Historic District is the most famous neighborhood in Paterson because of the landmark Great Falls of the Passaic River. The city has attempted to revitalize the area in recent years, including the installation of period lamp posts and the conversion of old industrial buildings into apartments and retail venues. Many artists live in this section of Paterson. A major redevelopment project is planned for this district in the coming years. The Paterson Museum of Industrial History at Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works is situated in the Historic District. Downtown Paterson is the main commercial district of the city and was once a shopping destination for many who lived in northern New Jersey. After a devastating fire in 1902, the city rebuilt the downtown with massive Beaux-Arts-style buildings, many of which remain to this day. These buildings are usually four to seven stories tall. Downtown Paterson is home to

Paterson City Hall Paterson City Hall is located at 155 Market Street in Paterson, Passaic County, New Jersey. The building is located on a block in Downtown Paterson bordered by Market Street on the north, Colt Street to the east, Ellison Street to the south, and ...

and the Passaic County Courthouse Annex, two of the city's architectural landmarks. City Hall was designed by the New York firm

Carrere and Hastings Carrere or Carrère may refer to: As a name * Georges Carrère (1897–1986), French classical violinist * Edward Carrere (1906–1984), Mexican art director * Emmanuel Carrère (1957–), French author, screenwriter, and director * Fernando Car ...

in 1894, and was modeled after the '' Hôtel de Ville'' (city hall) in Lyon, France, capital of the silk industry in Europe. The former Orpheum Theatre located on Van Houten Street has been converted to a mosque by the Islamic Foundation of New Jersey. The massive structure, now known as Masjid Jalalabad, can accommodate 1,500 worshipers. As with many other old downtown districts in the United States, Downtown Paterson suffered as shoppers and retailers moved to the

suburban A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...

shopping malls of the region. Many historic buildings are in disrepair or are abandoned after years of neglect. In addition, Downtown Paterson is an Urban Enterprise Zone. The city has, in recent years, begun initiatives in hopes of reviving the downtown area with the centerpiece being the Center City Mall, constructed on a large parking lot spanning Ward Street from Main to Church Streets and features retail, entertainment, and commercial space. Downtown Paterson is located in the city's 1st Ward. Eastside Park Historic District consists of about 1,000 homes in a variety of architectural styles, including Tudors, Georgian colonials, Victorians, Italianate villas and Dutch colonials. It is located east of downtown. Once the home of the city's industrial and political leaders, the neighborhood experienced a significant downturn as industry fled Paterson. In recent years, gentrification has begun to occur in the neighborhood and some of the area's historic houses have been restored. The Eastside Park Historic District is a state and nationally registered historic place. The jewel of the neighborhood is Eastside Park and the mansions that surround it. This section of Paterson once had a large Jewish population that reached 40,000 at its peak; a

synagogue A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...

still remains. Eastside Park and what is commonly known as the Upper Eastside are located in Paterson's 3rd Ward. East River Section is a section that is referred to by locals roughly bordering Riverside at 5th Avenue and extending south to Broadway, sandwiched in by Madison Avenue to McClean Boulevard (Route 20). However, the neighborhood's layout unofficially extends to the "Paterson-Newark/Hudson Route" of River Road in the Paterson-Memorial Park section of Fair Lawn whose house addresses are in alignment with the now-defunct Jewish synagogue on the corner of 33rd Street and Broadway, which connects Paterson to Newark/Hudson, and at one time was the main route through River Drive, which starts in Elmwood Park and rides north to south along the East Bank of the Passaic River in Paterson's original county. Built when Paterson was still Bergen County, River Drive changes to River Road in the greater Eastside Sections of Upper Eastside-Manor Section, East River, and Riverside Sections, and turns into Wagaraw Road north of 1st Avenue / Maple Avenue in the old Bunker Hill extension of Columbia Heights in Fair Lawn an indication of not only entering the Industrial Section but also entering the foothills of the Ramapo Mountains in Hawthorne. River Drive then turns into East Main Street to indicate that you have entered the Northside Section. The East River neighborhood which was and still maintains its "blue-collar" working-class identity, was at one time known for its large Jewish community, as well as a Neapolitan/Italian population and more recently other Mediterranean and Adriatic Europeans, Caribbean and South Americans, and other modern immigrant groups from all over the world, as well as African-Americans. Manor Section is a residential neighborhood in Paterson. It is located east of East 33rd Street, north of Broadway, and south-west of Route 20 and the

. The Manor section of Paterson is located in the city's 3rd Ward. The layout and culture of the Manor Section also extends into the neighboring Lyncrest and Rivercrest sections of Fair Lawn, with all the addresses aligning themselves to the now-defunct Jewish Temple, located at the corner of 33rd and Broadway. South Paterson, also known as

Little Istanbul South Paterson is a neighborhood in Paterson, New Jersey, Paterson, New Jersey, United States. Location The neighborhood is bounded by NJ 19 on the west, the border with Clifton, New Jersey to the south, the Passaic River to the east, and Intersta ...

or Little Ramallah, is a diverse neighborhood with a growing number of immigrants from the Middle East, with significant

Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...

and Arab communities. The neighborhood is located in the 6th Ward, east of Main Street and west of West Railway Avenue. A majority of the city's Arabs live in this section of Paterson. Many of the retail shops and restaurants cater to this community. The neighborhood is characterized by Halal meat markets which offer goat and lamb, and shop signs are in Arabic. South Paterson's Arab community is mostly made up of Jordanians,

Palestinians Palestinians ( ar, الفلسطينيون, ; he, פָלַסְטִינִים, ) or Palestinian people ( ar, الشعب الفلسطيني, label=none, ), also referred to as Palestinian Arabs ( ar, الفلسطينيين العرب, label=non ...

,Cowen, Richard
"Paterson's Palestinians celebrate annual flag-raising at City Hall"
''

The Record The Record may refer to: Music * ''The Record'' (album), a 1982 studio album by the hardcore-punk band Fear * The Records, an English power pop band * '' Their Greatest Hits: The Record'', a 2001 greatest-hits album by the pop-music group Bee Ge ...

'', May 18, 2014. Accessed August 5, 2014.

Syrians Syrians ( ar, سُورِيُّون, ''Sūriyyīn'') are an Eastern Mediterranean ethnic group indigenous to the Levant. They share common Levantine Semitic roots. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend of both indi ...

, and

Lebanese Lebanese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Lebanese Republic * Lebanese people The Lebanese people ( ar, الشعب اللبناني / ALA-LC: ', ) are the people inhabiting or originating from Lebanon. The term may al ...

. Lakeview is situated in the southern part of the city, and is a middle class neighborhood. Interstate 80 runs north of this district. Lakeview is home to the Paterson

Farmers Market A farmers' market (or farmers market according to the AP stylebook, also farmer's market in the Cambridge Dictionary) is a physical retail marketplace intended to sell foods directly by farmers to consumers. Farmers' markets may be indoors or ...

, where many people from across North Jersey come to buy

fresh produce Produce is a generalized term for many farm-produced crops, including fruits and vegetables (grains, oats, etc. are also sometimes considered ''produce''). More specifically, the term ''produce'' often implies that the products are fresh and g ...

. The neighborhood is roughly 65% Hispanic, although this neighborhood also has sizable European, Middle-Eastern, African-American, and Asian populations, including a significant Filipino presence. Lakeview also shares some of the same characteristics as neighboring

as they both share a neighborhood bearing the same name. The Lakeview section of Paterson is located in the city's 6th ward. Hillcrest is a largely residential, middle class

enclave An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...

, to the west of the downtown area. Its borders' limits are Preakness Avenue to the east, Cumberland Avenue to the west, and Totowa Avenue along with West Side Park and the Passaic River to the south. Hillcrest is one of Paterson's most desirable neighborhoods. The neighborhood is very diverse having significant Italian, Arab, and Asian populations. The Hillcrest section of Paterson is located in the city's 2nd Ward. People's Park is a neighborhood located north of 23rd Avenue and south of Market Street. Twenty-First Avenue, or "La Veinte y uno", as it is known by most of Paterson's Spanish-speaking community, is located in the People's Park section of Paterson. It is an active and vibrant retail strip featuring a variety of shops and services catering to a diverse clientele. Twenty-First Avenue used to have a large Italian population. Although there is still a significant Italian presence left in the neighborhood, it also has a large first-generation Hispanic population, particularly Colombian. Wrigley Park is a neighborhood that has suffered from years of poverty, crime, and neglect. It is mostly African-American. Poverty, crime, open-air drug markets, prostitution, vacant lots, and boarded-up windows are all common in this area. However, new houses are being built, and crime has dropped in recent years. This neighborhood is located north of Broadway. It is also known as the '4th Ward'. It was named for a Paterson paper manufacturing family. Sandy Hill is a neighborhood in the Eastside located roughly west of Madison Avenue, north of 21st Avenue, south of Park Avenue, and east of Straight Street. Due to Paterson's significant population turn-over, this neighborhood is now home to a large and growing Hispanic community, mostly first-generation Dominicans. The Sandy Hill section of Paterson is located in the city's 5th Ward. Roberto Clemente Park, which was originally known as Sandy Hill Park, is located in this neighborhood. Part of the 5th Ward is called Near Eastside by residents to differentiate it from the Eastside Park Historic District to its immediate east. Paterson from Garrett Mountain

Northside, located north of Downtown, suffers from many of the social problems facing the Wrigley Park neighborhood, but to a lesser extent. This neighborhood borders the boroughs of Haledon and Prospect Park and is known for its hills and sweeping views of the New York City skyline. The Northside section of Paterson is located in the city's 1st Ward. Totowa section is a large neighborhood located west of the

, south-west of West Broadway and north-east of Preakness Avenue. As the name implies, it borders the town of Totowa. It is mostly Hispanic but with an increasing

South Asian South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geography, geographical and culture, ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, ...

community, mainly Bangladeshi. Many Bengali grocery and clothing stores are located on Union Avenue and the surrounding streets. Masjid Al-Ferdous is located on Union Avenue, which accommodates the daily Bangladeshi pedestrian population. A large Italian presence remains in this neighborhood. Many Peruvian and other Latin American restaurants and businesses are located on Union Avenue. Colonial Village and Brooks Sloate Terraces are located in this neighborhood. The Totowa Section is located in parts of the 1st and 2nd Wards of Paterson. Stoney Road is Paterson's most south-west neighborhood, bordering Woodland Park to the south and Totowa across the

to the west. This neighborhood is home to Pennington Park, Hayden Heights, Lou Costello Pool, the Levine reservoir, Murray Avenue, Mc Bride Avenue, and Garret Heights. A strong Italian presence remains in this neighborhood. The Stoney Road section of Paterson is located in the city's 2nd Ward. Riverside is a larger neighborhood in Paterson and, as its name suggests, is bound by the

to the north and east, separating the city from Hawthorne and Fair Lawn. Riverside is a

working-class The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colou ...

neighborhood. The neighborhood is mostly residential with some industrial uses. Madison Avenue cuts through the heart of this district. Route 20 runs through the eastern border of Riverside, providing an easy commute to Route 80 East and New York City. This section is ethnically diverse with a growing Hispanic community concentrating mostly north and along River Street. Many

Albanians The Albanians (; sq, Shqiptarët ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Se ...

make their home in the East 18th Street and River Street areas. River View Terrace is located in this neighborhood. Riverside is located in parts of the 3rd and 4th Wards of Paterson. Bunker Hill is a mostly industrial area west of River Street and east of the Passaic River. Westside Park located off Totowa Avenue and best known as the site of the Holland submarine, Fenian Ram, which was built from 1879 to 1881 for the Fenian Brotherhood. It became the target of graffiti artists because the fence surrounding it was too low and too close to the submarine itself. The sub is now located in Paterson Museum.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally cool to cold winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Paterson has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps. Despite the size of the city, it has no weather reporting station, and thus, no historic climate data. Paterson uses Newark's airport for its local weather.

Demographics

According to then-Mayor Jose Torres, Paterson had 52 distinct ethnic groups in 2014. By 2020, Paterson had the second-largest

population in the United States by percentage, and nearly 100 languages were spoken in Paterson, many of them Arabic dialects. Paterson's rapidly growing Bangladeshi American, Turkish American, Arab American,via Associated Press
"Muslims could prove key in choosing next U.S. president"
'' The Seattle Times'', October 8, 2004. Accessed July 17, 2011. "... Paterson, which is the nation's second-largest Arab-American community after the Dearborn, Mich.-area." Albanian American, Bosnian American, Dominican American, and Peruvian American communities are among the largest and most prominent in the United States, the latter owing partially to the presence of the Consulate of Peru. Paterson's

population has been estimated at 25,000 to 30,000. Paterson has become a prime destination for one of the fastest-growing communities of Dominican Americans, who have become the city's largest ethnic group. The Puerto Rican population has established a highly significant presence as well. Demographic surveys and census data find Paterson has the highest percentage of disabled persons of any city with more than 100,000 residents, with about 30% of males and 29% of females not classified as poor listed as having a disability.

2020 Census

2010 Census

Same-sex couples headed 290 households in 2010, a decline from the 349 counted in 2000. The Census Bureau's 2006–2010

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is a demographics survey program conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census, such as ancestry, citizenship, educati ...

showed that (in 2010

inflation-adjusted In economics, nominal value is measured in terms of money, whereas real value is measured against goods or services. A real value is one which has been adjusted for inflation, enabling comparison of quantities as if the prices of goods had not c ...

dollars) median household income was $34,086 (with a margin of error of ±$1,705) and the median family income was $39,003 (±$2,408). Males had a median income of $30,811 (±$825) versus $28,459 (±$1,570) for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,543 (±$467). About 24.1% of families and 26.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.0% of those under age 18 and 25.4% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the

2000 United States census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 ce ...

there were 149,222 people, 44,710 households, and 33,353 families residing in the city, for a population density of 17,675.4 per square mile (6,826.4/km²).Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Paterson city, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 13, 2013.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 – Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Paterson city, Passaic County, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 13, 2013. Among cities with a population higher than 100,000, Paterson was the second most densely populated large city in the United States, only after New York City. There were 47,169 housing units at an average density of 5,587.2 per square mile (2,157.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 32.90% African American, 13.20% White, 0.60% Native American, 1.90% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 27.60% from other races and 6.17% from two or more races. Latino people of any race were 50.1% of the population. The majority of Latinos are Puerto Rican 14%, Dominican 10%, Peruvian 5% and Colombian 3%. There were 44,710 households, out of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 26.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.25 and the average family size was 3.71. In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.8% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $30,127, and the median income for a family was $32,983. Males had a median income of $27,911 versus $21,733 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,257. About 19.2% of families and 22.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.0% of those under age 18 and 19.4% of those age 65 or over.

Ethnic groups

Waves of Irish, Germans, Dutch, and Jews settled in the city in the 19th century. Italian and Eastern Europe immigrants soon followed. As early as 1890,

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

and Palestinian immigrants also arrived in Paterson. In addition to many African Americans of Southern heritage, more recent immigrants have come from the

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

and Africa. Paterson's black population increased during the Great Migration of the 20th century, but there have been Patersonians of African descent since before the Civil War. However, Paterson's black population declined between the years 2000 and 2010, consistent with the overall return migration of African Americans from Northern New Jersey back to the Southern United States. A house once existing at Bridge Street and Broadway was a station on the Underground Railroad. It was operated from 1855 to 1864 by abolitionists

William Van Rensalier William is a masculine given name of Norman French origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conques ...

, a black engineer, and Josiah Huntoon, a white industrialist. There is a memorial located at the site. Many second- and third-generation

Puerto Ricans Puerto Ricans ( es, Puertorriqueños; or boricuas) are the people of Puerto Rico, the inhabitants, and citizens of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and their descendants. Overview The culture held in common by most Puerto Ricans is referred t ...

have called Paterson home since the 1950s, including an estimated 10,000 who participated in the 2014 mayoral election, which was won by Jose "Joey" Torres, a Puerto Rican American who was one of three Hispanic candidates vying for the seat.Loboguerrero, Cristina; translated from Spanish by Carlos Rodríguez-Martorell, Carlos
"Three Hispanic Candidates Vie For Paterson, NJ Mayor"
, Voices of NY from '' El Diario La Prensa'', May 12, 2014. "Puerto Rican José 'Joey' Torres, who was the mayor from 2002 to 2010, seeks to regain the seat after losing it to Jeffery Jones in the past election. Torres and the current City Council President Andre Sayegh are the main favorites to unseat Jones in the May 13 election. The other Latino candidates are both Dominican: María Teresa Feliciano is a newcomer in politics, and Councilman Rigo Rodríguez was recently charged with electoral fraud." Today's Hispanic immigrants to Paterson are primarily Dominican, Peruvian,

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...

, and Central American, with a resurgence of Puerto Rican migration as well. In 2014, more than 600 business people attended the annual Statewide Hispanic

Chamber of Commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to ad ...

of New Jersey Convention in Paterson. Western Market Street, sometimes called

Little Lima Little Lima is a Peruvian enclave in Downtown Paterson, New Jersey, United States, and the largest Peruvian enclave outside of South America, home to approximately 10,000 Peruvian immigrants, by U.S. Census Bureau estimates. New Jersey's Per ...

by tourists, is home to many Peruvian and other Latin-American businesses. In contrast, if one travels east on Market Street, a heavy concentration of Dominican-owned restaurants, beauty salons, barbershops, and other businesses can be seen. The Great Falls Historic District, Cianci Street, Union Avenue, and 21st Avenue have several Italian businesses. To the north of the Great Falls is a fast-growing Bangladeshi population. Park Avenue and Market Street between Straight Street and Madison Avenue are heavily Dominican and Puerto Rican. Main Street, just south of downtown, is heavily Mexican with a resurgent Puerto Rican community.
Accessed May 18, 2019. Broadway, also called Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way, is significantly black, as are the Fourth Ward and parts of Eastside and Northside, although Paterson's African American population is declining. Costa Ricans and other Central American immigrant communities are growing in the Riverside and Peoples Park neighborhoods. Main Street between the

border and Madison Avenue is heavily

and Arab. 21st Avenue in the People's Park section is characterized by

n and other Latin American restaurants and shops. Every summer, Patersonians conduct an African-American Day Parade, a Dominican Day Parade, a Puerto Rican Day Parade, a Peruvian Day Parade, and a Turkish-American Day Parade; budget cuts in 2011 have forced parade organizers to contribute to cover the costs of police and other municipal services. Paterson is widely considered the capital of the Peruvian

diaspora A diaspora ( ) is a population that is scattered across regions which are separate from its geographic place of origin. Historically, the word was used first in reference to the dispersion of Greeks in the Hellenic world, and later Jews after ...

in the U.S.

, a Peruvian enclave in Downtown Paterson, is the largest Peruvian enclave outside of South America, home to approximately 10,000 Peruvian immigrants.Cowen, Richard
"Peruvian chefs in Paterson have Eva's kitchen to thank"
''

'', May 18, 2019. Accessed November 14, 2020. "Paterson has an estimated 10,000 Peruvian immigrants, according to the U.S. Census, which make it the largest Peruvian enclave in the United States."Harrison, Karen Tina
"Savor City; Paterson, the one-time Silk City, is a Great Falls of ethnic eating."
''

New Jersey Monthly ''New Jersey Monthly'' is an American monthly magazine featuring issues of possible interest to residents of New Jersey. The magazine was started in 1976. It is based in Morristown. In addition to articles of general interest, the publication fe ...

'', July 13, 2019. Accessed November 14, 2020. "Turkish, Syrian, Lebanese, Egyptian, and Palestinian immigrants, among others, share a grand mosque, Masjid Jalalabad, in the renovated, once-endangered 1921 Orpheum Theater. A long stretch of Main Street in the South Paterson neighborhood amounts to a Jersey souk, or market, encompassing all kinds of shops and Middle Eastern eateries." Paterson has named an area bordered by Mill, Market, Main, and Cianci streets "Peru Square". Paterson's rapidly growing Peruvian community celebrates what is known as

Señor de los Milagros The Lord of Miracles (in Spanish language, Spanish: ''Señor de los Milagros''), also known as "Christ of Miracles", is an image painted of Jesus Christ that is venerated in Lima, Peru. The image was painted during the 17th century by Benito ...

("Our Lord of Miracles" in English) on October 18 through 28th each year and every July participates in the annual Passaic County Peruvian Day Parade, which passes through Market Street and Main Street in the

neighborhood of Downtown Paterson. In the 2000 Census, 4.72% of residents listed themselves as being of Peruvian American ancestry, the third-highest percentage of the population of any municipality in New Jersey and the United States, behind

East Newark East Newark is a borough in the western part of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. It is a suburb of Newark. The borough is the second-smallest municipality by total area in the state. The Borough of East Newark was established on July ...

with 10.1% and Harrison with 7.01%. The community includes both Quechua and Spanish speakers. Paterson is home to the third-largest Dominican-American Community in the United States, after New York City and

Lawrence, Massachusetts Lawrence is a city located in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, on the Merrimack River. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 89,143. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and Nort ...

. In the 2000 Census, 10.27% of residents listed themselves as being of Dominican American ancestry, the eighth highest percentage of the population of any municipality in the United States and the third-highest percentage in New Jersey, behind Perth Amboy's 18.81% and Union City's 11.46%. Paterson renamed a section of Park Avenue in Sandy Hill to Dominican Republic Way to recognize the Dominican community, which is the largest Hispanic community in the city. Paterson is home to the largest Turkish-American immigrant community in the United States (known as

) and the second largest Arab-American community after

Dearborn, Michigan Dearborn is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 109,976. Dearborn is the seventh most-populated city in Michigan and is home to the largest Muslim population in the United States pe ...

. Paterson has been also nicknamed '' Little Ramallah'' and contains a neighborhood with the same name in South Paterson, with an Arab American population estimated as high as 20,000 in 2015, serving as the center of Paterson's growing

Syrian American Syrian Americans are Americans of Syrian descent or background. The first significant wave of Syrian immigrants to arrive in the United States began in the 1880s. Many of the earliest Syrian Americans settled in New York City, Boston, and Detro ...

Villeneuve, Marina; and Seasly, John
"Nearly 100 gather for Paterson candlelight vigil honoring Syrian refugees"
, ''

'', September 5, 2015. Accessed December 6, 2016.Adely, Hannan
"Paterson embraces Syrian refugees as neighbors"
, ''

'', December 1, 2015. Accessed December 6, 2016. and Palestinian American populations. The Paterson-based Arab American Civic Association runs an Arabic language program in the Paterson Public Schools that serves 125 students at School 9 on Saturdays. Paterson is also home to the largest Circassian immigrant community in the United States. The Greater Paterson area which includes the cities of

and Wayne and the boroughs of Haledon, Prospect Park, North Haledon, Totowa, Woodland Park, and Little Falls, is home to the nation's largest North Caucasian population, mostly Circassians, Karachays, and small Chechen and

Dagestan Dagestan ( ; rus, Дагеста́н, , dəɡʲɪˈstan, links=yes), officially the Republic of Dagestan (russian: Респу́блика Дагеста́н, Respúblika Dagestán, links=no), is a republic of Russia situated in the North C ...

i communities. Reflective of these communities, Paterson and Prospect Park public schools observe Muslim holidays. Paterson has incorporated a rapidly growing Bangladeshi American community, which is estimated to number 15,000, the largest in the United States outside New York City. Mohammed Akhtaruzzaman was ultimately certified as the winner of the 2012 city council race in the Second Ward, making him North Jersey's first Bangladeshi-American elected official. A branch of the Sonali Exchange Company Inc. has opened on Union Avenue in the Totowa section of town (not to be confused with the Passaic County municipality Totowa); the Sonali Exchange Company is a subsidiary of Sonali Bank, the largest state-owned commercial bank in Bangladesh.

Economy

Portions of the city are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. The city was selected in 1994 as one of a group of 10 zones added to participate in the program. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the UEZ, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125%

sales tax A sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sales of certain goods and services. Usually laws allow the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. When a tax on goods or services is paid to a govern ...

rate (half of the % rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants. Established in September 1994, the city's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in September 2025. The UEZ program plays a pivotal role in the city's economic revitalization.

Arts and culture

Paterson has a significant parks and recreation system, including larger areas such as Eastside, Westside, and Pennington Parks, as well as neighborhood parks such as Wrigley, Robert Clemente, and People's. The Great Falls of the Passaic are part of the national park system. The Paterson Museum, in the Great Falls Historic District, was founded in 1925 and is owned and operated by the city of Paterson. Its mission is to preserve and display the industrial history of the city. Since 1982, the museum has been housed in the Thomas Rogers Building on Market Street, the former erecting shop of Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works, a major 19th-century manufacturer of railroad steam locomotives. Belle Vista, locally known as Lambert Castle, was built in 1892 as the home of Catholina Lambert, the self-made owner of a prominent silk mill in Paterson. After Lambert's death in 1923, his family sold the building to the city, which in turn sold it to the County of Passaic a few years later. The county used the building for administrative offices, and in 1936, provided one room to the fledgling Passaic County Historical Society to serve as its historical museum. As time went by the museum grew, room by room until the entire first floor became the historical museum. In the late 1990s, the Castle underwent a multi-million-dollar restoration and all four floors of the building were developed into a museum and library. Today, Passaic County remains the owner of the building and supports the facilities' operation; however, the Passaic County Historical Society is solely responsible for the operation and management of Lambert Castle Museum with its historical period rooms, long-term and changing exhibition galleries, educational programs for elementary and middle-school students, and research library/archive. Above Lambert Castle stands a observation tower, located at the peak of

Garret Mountain Garret Mountain Reservation (also spelled Garrett) is a park located on First Watchung Mountain (Garret Mountain) in Paterson and Woodland Park (formerly West Paterson) in southern Passaic County, New Jersey. In 1967, it was designated a Nation ...

, which while technically standing in Woodland Park, was constructed when the property was considered part of Paterson. The tower is part of the Garret Mountain Reservation and renovations were completed in 2009 to restore the tower to the original condition as built in 1896 by Lambert, who used the tower to impress guests with its view of the New York City skyline. Attempts were being made to fund the restoration of the Paterson Armory as a recreation and cultural center, but the building was destroyed by fire before these could bear fruit.

Media

WPAT AM 930 has been licensed to Paterson since 1941. 93.1 FM was added in 1957.

Government

Local government

The City of Paterson operates within the

Faulkner Act The Optional Municipal Charter Law or Faulkner Act (, et seq.) provides New Jersey municipalities with a variety of models of local government. This legislation is called the Faulkner Act in honor of the late Bayard H. Faulkner, former mayor ...

, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under a Plan-D Mayor-Council form of government, which was adopted in 1974 in a change from a 1907 statute-based form.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 151. The city is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form. Under the Mayor-Council plan, the Mayor is the chief executive and is responsible for administering the City's activities. The Mayor is elected

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...

for a four-year term by the citizens and is responsible for them. The mayor enforces the charter and the ordinances and laws passed by the City Council. The Mayor appoints all department heads including the business administrator, with the advice and consent of the Council and may remove any department heads after giving them notice and an opportunity to be heard. With the assistance of the business administrator, the Mayor is responsible for the preparation of the municipal budget. The Mayor submits the budget to the Council along with a detailed analysis of expenditures and revenues. The Council may reduce any item or items in the budget by a majority vote, but can only increase an item by a two-thirds vote. The City Council is comprised of nine members. Of these, six are elected through the use of the ward system, where candidates run to represent a certain area of the city. The other three seats are elected using the

system, where each candidate is voted upon by the entire voting population of the city. Municipal elections are held in even-numbered years, are non-partisan, and take place on the second Tuesday in May. The six members of the City Council representing their wards are elected in the same years as presidential elections, while the mayoral election and the at-large Council elections are held in the same years as the mid-term Congressional elections. , the Mayor of Paterson is Andre Sayegh, whose term of office ends June 30, 2026. The previous mayor was Jane Williams-Warren, who was serving on an interim basis following the resignation of José "Joey" Torres.Mayor
City of Paterson. Accessed July 11, 2022. Torres was in his third non-consecutive term as Mayor of Paterson, having first been elected by defeating incumbent

Martin G. Barnes Martin G. "Marty" Barnes (March 15, 1948 – December 28, 2012) was an American Republican Party politician from Paterson, New Jersey. He served as Mayor of Paterson, New Jersey for five years. He was the first African-American mayor in P ...

in 2002 and then winning re-election in 2006 against Lawrence Spagnola. After losing his bid for a third consecutive term by a margin of 600 votes to City Council President Jeffery Jones in 2010, Torres defeated Jones in a rematch four years later. Torres pleaded guilty to corruption charges in September 2017 that required him to leave office and to serve a prison term of five years. According to city law, the President of the City Council is the next in line to succeed a Mayor who is removed from office for any reason and serves as Acting Mayor until the next election, unless the Council appoints someone else to fill the post within 30 days of the creation of the vacancy. City Council President Ruby Cotton immediately became Mayor upon Torres' resignation and served until September 29, when the council voted 5–4 to appoint Williams-Warren, a former city clerk, as interim mayor until the May 2018 municipal election. Members of the City Council are Council President Shahin Khalique (Second Ward; 2024), Council Vice President Alex Mendez (Third Ward; 2024), Alaa "Al" Abdelaziz (Sixth Ward; 2024), Ruby N. Cotton (Fourth Ward; 2024), Maritza Davila (at-large; 2026), Michael Jackson (First Ward; 2024), Dr. Lilisa Mimms (at-large; 2026), MD Forid Uddin (at-large; 2026) and Luis Velez (Fifth Ward; 2024).''Passaic County 2021 Directory''
Passaic County, New Jersey, updated as of April 2021. Accessed July 1, 2022.2022 Paterson Municipal Election May 10, 2022 Official Results
Passaic County, New Jersey, updated May 18, 2022. Accessed July 11, 2022.May 12, 2020 Summary Report Passaic County Official results
Passaic County, New Jersey, updated May 20, 2020. Accessed July 11, 2022. In July 2018, Alaa "Al" Abdelaziz was selected to fill the Sixth Ward seat expiring in June 2020 that had been held by Andre Sayegh until he stepped down to take office as mayor. In the November 2018 general election, Abdelaziz was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.2018 General Election November 6, 2018 Summary Report Passaic County Official Results
, Passaic County, New Jersey, updated November 30, 2018. Accessed January 1, 2019. In 2018, the city had an average property tax bill of $8,087, the lowest in the county, compared to an average bill of $10,005 in Passaic County and $8,767 statewide. The 2020 election for Paterson's Third Ward city council was invalidated after allegations of voter fraud vote-by-mail. More than 24% of ballots failed to meet the standard for mail-in ballots.

Federal, state and county representation

Paterson is located in the 9th Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report
New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 35th state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District

. Accessed February 1, 2020.''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey

League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV or the League) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization in the United States. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include registering voters, providing voter information, and advocating for vot ...

. Accessed October 30, 2019. Prior to the 2010 Census, Paterson had been part of the , a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.''2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
, p. 62, New Jersey

. Accessed May 22, 2015.

is governed by

Board of County Commissioners A county commission (or a board of county commissioners) is a group of elected officials (county commissioners) collectively charged with administering the county government in some states of the United States; such commissions usually comprise ...

, comprised of seven members who are elected

to staggered three-year terms office on a partisan basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At a reorganization meeting held in January, the board selects a Director and Deputy Director from among its members to serve for a one-year term. , Passaic County's Commissioners are Director Bruce James ( D,

, term as commissioner ends December 31, 2023; term as director ends 2022), Deputy Director Cassandra "Sandi" Lazzara (D, Little Falls, term as commissioner ends 2024; term as deputy director ends 2022), John W. Bartlett (D, Wayne, 2024), Theodore O. "T.J." Best Jr. (D,

Paterson Paterson may refer to: People * Paterson (surname) * Paterson (given name) Places Australia *Paterson, New South Wales *Paterson River, New South Wales * Division of Paterson, an electoral district in New South Wales *Paterson, Queensland, a lo ...

, 2023), Terry Duffy (D,

West Milford West Milford is a township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 25,850, reflecting a decline of 560 (−2.1%) from the 26,410 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in ...

, 2022), Nicolino Gallo ( R, Totowa, 2024) and Pasquale "Pat" Lepore (D, Woodland Park, 2022).Board of County Commissioners
Passaic County, New Jersey. Accessed June 21, 2022. "Passaic County is governed by a seven-member Board of County Commissioners. Each County Commissioner is elected at large for a three-year term. The board is headed by a director, who is selected for a one-year term at the board's annual reorganization meeting (at the first meeting of the year in January)."''Passaic County 2021 Directory''
Passaic County, New Jersey, updated as of April 2021. Accessed April 29, 2022.2021 General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results
Passaic County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.November 3, 2020 Summary Report Official Results
Passaic County, New Jersey, updated November 20, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.2019 General Election November 5, 2019 Summary Report Passaic County Official Results
Passaic County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020. Constitutional officers, elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Danielle Ireland-Imhof ( D, Hawthorne, 2023), Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik (D, Clifton, 2022) and Surrogate Zoila S. Cassanova (D, Wayne, 2026).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 68,324 registered voters in Paterson, of which 27,926 (40.9% vs. 31.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 3,100 (4.5% vs. 18.7%) were registered as

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

and 37,285 (54.6% vs. 50.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 13 voters registered to other parties.Voter Registration Summary - Passaic

Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed January 16, 2013. Among the city's 2010 Census population, 46.7% (vs. 53.2% in Passaic County) were registered to vote, including 64.8% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.8% countywide). In the

2012 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *3–4 January: E ...

, Democrat Barack Obama received 93.6% of the vote (41,662 cast), ahead of Republican

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...

with 6.1% (2,696 votes), and other candidates with 0.3% (152 votes), among the 45,050 ballots cast by the city's 78,194 registered voters (540 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 57.6%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 38,085 votes (86.7% vs. 58.8% countywide), ahead of Republican

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...

with 4,098 votes (9.3% vs. 37.7%) and other candidates with 150 votes (0.3% vs. 0.8%), among the 43,946 ballots cast by the city's 70,925 registered voters, for a turnout of 62.0% (vs. 70.4% in Passaic County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 28,896 votes (79.2% vs. 48.3% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 5,959 votes (16.3% vs. 50.7%) and other candidates with 151 votes (0.4% vs. 0.96%), among the 36,470 ballots cast by the city's 64,151 registered voters, for a turnout of 56.9% (vs. 69.3% in the whole county). In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 78.5% of the vote (15,726 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 20.6% (4,123 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (179 votes), among the 20,787 ballots cast by the city's 80,140 registered voters (759 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 25.9%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 17,334 ballots cast (85.7% vs. 50.8% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 2,213 votes (10.9% vs. 43.2%), Independent

Chris Daggett Christopher Jarvis Daggett (born March 7, 1950) is an American businessman who is the president and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, one of the largest foundations in New Jersey. A former regional administrator of the United States Env ...

with 264 votes (1.3% vs. 3.8%) and other candidates with 129 votes (0.6% vs. 0.9%), among the 20,233 ballots cast by the city's 66,603 registered voters, yielding a 30.4% turnout (vs. 42.7% in the county).

Emergency services

The City of Paterson is served by the Paterson Police Department. The Paterson Fire Department, headed by Chief Brian McDermott, operates out of seven fire stations with a total of 400 employees and is also responsible for the city's emergency medical services division and ambulance units. The department is part of the Metro USAR Strike Team, which consists of nine North Jersey fire departments and other emergency services divisions working to address major emergency rescue situations. In addition to local services, Paterson is home to the Passaic County Sheriff's Office Courts Division in the Passaic County Courthouse and Correctional Division in the Passaic County Jail. The jail, originally constructed in 1957, can accommodate 1,242 inmate beds. In April 2011, Paterson laid off 125 police officers, nearly 25% of the total force in the city, due to severe budget constraints caused by a $70 million deficit. At the same time, the Guardian Angels, a New York City-based volunteer citizen safety patrol organization, began operating in Paterson at the invitation of the Mayor. St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center is a large institution providing comprehensive emergency services as well as non-emergency medical care to Paterson and the surrounding community.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the city had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Passaic County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. By road, Paterson is served directly by

, as well as State Routes 4, 19, and 20. The Garden State Parkway, U.S. Route 46, State Routes 3, 17, 21, and 208 are also nearby and serve as feeder roads to the community. Paterson also served as the terminus for numerous major secondary roads in northern New Jersey. Paterson Plank Road linked the city to Jersey City and eventually, the Hudson River waterfront in Hoboken, while the Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike connected the city with Sussex County along what is now parts of State Route 23.

Public transportation

The city is served by the NJ Transit Main Line commuter rail service to Hoboken, with the station located in Downtown Paterson. Plans are being developed for a new commuter rail service on the existing NYS&W line, which is currently single-tracked. The Passaic-Bergen Rail Line plans to have five stops in Paterson. Bus service to locations in Passaic, Bergen, Essex and Hudson counties is provided by NJ Transit, making the city a regional transit hub. The Broadway Bus Terminal, also in downtown, is the terminus for many NJ Transit bus lines. Service to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in

Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan and serves as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Buildin ...

is offered on the

161 Year 161 ( CLXI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caesar and Aurelius (or, less frequently, year 914 '' Ab urbe condi ...

and the

190 Year 190 (CXC) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Aurelius and Sura (or, less frequently, year 943 ''Ab urbe condita'') ...

, by the

171 Year 171 (Roman numerals, CLXXI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Severus and Herennianus (or, less frequently, year 92 ...

to the George Washington Bridge Bus Station in Washington Heights, Manhattan, on the 72 to Newark, with local service provided on the 74, 702, 703,

704 __NOTOC__ Year 704 ( DCCIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 704 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era b ...

707 707 may refer to: * 707 (number), a number * 707 (band), an American rock band * AD 707, a year in the 8th century * 707 BC, a year in the 8th century BC * The 7 July 2005 London bombings, a terrorist attack * 707th Special Mission Unit, a military ...

, 712, 722, 742 (Saturday only), 744, 746,

748 __NOTOC__ Year 748 ( DCCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 748 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calenda ...

, 770, 970 and 971 routes. Many buses stop at or near City Hall, going to various points in the area, including New York and the neighboring communities. Private, independent jitney buses ( guaguas or dollar vans) connect Paterson with neighboring communities along Route 4 and provide transportation to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal and George Washington Bridge Bus Station in Manhattan. These buses run at high frequency but do not have formal, published schedules.

Education

The Paterson Public Schools serve students in

pre-kindergarten Pre-kindergarten (also called Pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool ...

through twelfth grade. The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in ''Abbott v. Burke'' which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of 51 schools, had an enrollment of 27,601 students and 2,053.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

student–teacher ratio Student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio is the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that there are 10 students ...

of 13.4:1.District information for Paterson Public School District

National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance ...

. Accessed April 1, 2020. District enrollment in Paterson surged at the start of the 2015–16 school year, creating a public school enrollment of 700 students higher than expected and putting the school district in a situation of needing to hire teachers rapidly not long after the district had laid off 300 positions. In 2011, all of Paterson's high schools were changed to theme schools, as part of a goal to give students a better choice in areas they wanted to pursue. Among the 594 students who took the SAT in 2013, the mean combined score was 1120 and there were 19 students (3.2% of those taking the exam) who achieved the combined score of 1550 that the

College Board The College Board is an American nonprofit organization that was formed in December 1899 as the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) to expand access to higher education. While the College Board is not an association of colleges, it runs a ...

considers an indicator of college readiness, a decline from the 26 students (4.3%) who achieved the standard the previous year. Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology is a charter school serving students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Other charter schools include Community Charter School of Paterson (K–8), John P. Holland Charter School (K–8) and Paterson Arts and Science Charter School (K–7). In 2021, Governor Murphy announced the approval of a new charter, Brilla NJ, to be opened in 2023. It was the first approved charter in his first term as governor. The city is host to the state's annual robotics competition held at Passaic County Community College. The North Jersey Robotics Competition was created to place high educational merit on the students of Paterson. The competition draws schools from around New Jersey. Three events make up the meet which takes place on two different days. The competition's tenth-anniversary event in 2011 was won by Paterson's

Panther Academy The Panther Academy (formally the Academy of Earth & Space Science) is a four-year public high school in Paterson in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States, operated as part of the Paterson Public Schools. It is one of a number of academy p ...

. Blessed Sacrament School and St. Gerard Majella School are elementary schools that operate under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. In the face of declining enrollment and financial difficulties, Paterson Catholic High School, the city's last remaining Catholic high school, was closed by the Diocese of Paterson. Paterson hosts the main campus of Passaic County Community College, established in the 1970s, which serves 13,000 students at its main campus and at satellite programs in Passaic, Wanaque and at the Public Safety Academy.

Sister cities

Sister cities of Paterson include: * Eskişehir, Turkey, May 22, 2002 * Lyon, Rhône,

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (ARA; ; frp, Ôvèrgne-Rôno-Ârpes; oc, Auvèrnhe Ròse Aups; it, Alvernia-Rodano-Alpi) is a region in southeast-central France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions; it resulted from the merger of Au ...

, France * Lowell, Massachusetts *

Sylhet Sylhet ( bn, সিলেট) is a metropolitan city in northeastern Bangladesh. It is the administrative seat of the Sylhet Division. Located on the north bank of the Surma River at the eastern tip of Bengal, Sylhet has a subtropical climate an ...

, Bangladesh *

Surat Surat is a city in the western Indian state of Gujarat. The word Surat literally means ''face'' in Gujarati and Hindi. Located on the banks of the river Tapti near its confluence with the Arabian Sea, it used to be a large seaport. It is now ...

, Gujarat, India * Vadodara, Gujarat, India *

Yulin Yulin may refer to the following places in China: Cities and prefectures *Yulin, Guangxi (玉林市), a prefecture-level city in Guangxi *Yulin, Shaanxi (榆林市), a prefecture-level city in Shaanxi * Yulin Prefecture (鬱林州), a prefecture b ...

, Shaanxi, China

Friendship

There is a pact of friendship with the town of Montescaglioso (

Matera Matera (, ; Materano: ) is a city in the region of Basilicata, in Southern Italy. As the capital of the province of Matera, its original settlement lies in two canyons carved by the Gravina River. This area, the Sassi di Matera, is a comple ...

Basilicata it, Lucano (man) it, Lucana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = ...

, Italy), as testified by mutual naming of two streets in their city centers. Paterson was a place of Italian emigration in the late nineteenth century and today houses a large community of citizens of Montescaglioso who emigrated in those years.Twenty-First Avenue: Place of Conjunction
Library of Congress. Accessed August 7, 2013. "Italians from that town found their way to Paterson and settled in the 21st Avenue area earlier in this century. This population increased over the years, at least in part because of the Italian practice of chain migration. The Paterson Montese community was fed by renewed immigration after World War II, from about the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s, when immigration from Italy to the United States slowed considerably as a result of vastly improved economic conditions in Italy." *"Avenue Paterson" in Montescaglioso *"Montescaglioso Street" in Paterson The San Rocco Society was founded in Paterson, an association whose main purpose is to maintain sales relationships with the Italy, and in some ways the traditions.

In popular culture

Paterson is the subject of William Carlos Williams' five-book epic poem ''

'', a cornerstone work of modern American poetry. Paterson is also mentioned in the twelfth line of Part 1 of Allen Ginsberg's poem ''

Howl Howl most often refers to: *Howling, an animal vocalization in many canine species *Howl (poem), a 1956 poem by Allen Ginsberg Howl may also refer to: Film * ''The Howl'', a 1970 Italian film * ''Howl'' (2010 film), a 2010 American arthouse b ...

''. In the novel ''

On the Road ''On the Road'' is a 1957 novel by American writer Jack Kerouac, based on the travels of Kerouac and his friends across the United States. It is considered a defining work of the postwar Beat and Counterculture generations, with its protagonis ...

'' by Ginsberg's friend

Jack Kerouac Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac (; March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969), known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Of French-Canadian a ...

, the protagonist Sal Paradise lives with his aunt in Paterson. Kerouac may have chosen Paterson as a stand-in for his hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts, also a mill town with a waterfall. Paterson is the setting of many of Junot Diaz's short stories and novels, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning '' The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao'', and

John Updike John Hoyer Updike (March 18, 1932 – January 27, 2009) was an American novelist, poet, short-story writer, art critic, and literary critic. One of only four writers to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once (the others being Booth ...

's 1997 novel '' In the Beauty of the Lilies.'' The controversial arrest and conviction of boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, whose conviction was overturned in 1985, was dramatized in the 1999

Denzel Washington Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has been described as an actor who reconfigured "the concept of classic movie stardom". Throughout his career spanning over four decades, Washington ha ...

film, '' The Hurricane'', and was partially shot in the city. The lyrics of the Bob Dylan song "Hurricane" include ''"In Paterson that's just the way things go / If you're Black you might as well not show / Up on the street / Unless you want to draw the heat"''. The film '' Lean On Me'', while sensationalized, is based on events that occurred in Paterson's Eastside High School. '' Alice, Sweet Alice'' (1976) with

Brooke Shields Brooke Christa Shields (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress and model. She was initially a child model and gained critical acclaim at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle's film ''Pretty Baby'' (1978). She continued to model into ...

was filmed entirely in Paterson, the director's hometown, as was '' State Property''. Its sequel, '' State Property 2'', and '' Far from Heaven'', '' The Preacher's Wife'' and ''

Purple Rose of Cairo ''The Purple Rose of Cairo'' is a 1985 American fantasy romantic comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen, and starring Mia Farrow, Jeff Daniels, and Danny Aiello. Inspired by the films ''Sherlock Jr.'' (1924) and '' Hellzapoppin (1941) ...

'' are among other films that were partially shot in Paterson. The city was also a filming location for the 1995 drama film, '' New Jersey Drive'', which is primarily based on Newark's automobile theft rate at the time, with the city being considered "the car theft capital of the world". The 2016 film ''

'', directed by

Jim Jarmusch James Robert Jarmusch (; born January 22, 1953) is an American film director and screenwriter. He has been a major proponent of independent cinema since the 1980s, directing films including '' Stranger Than Paradise'' (1984), '' Down by Law'' ( ...

, is set in Paterson and was largely filmed there. The movie is about a bus driver named Paterson who writes poetry in his free time. Lou Costello often referred to his hometown of Paterson in his comedy routines with Bud Abbott. The plot of the June 28, 1945, episode of the

Abbott & Costello Abbott may refer to: People * Abbott (surname) * Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849–1921), American painter and naturalist *Abbott and Costello, famous American vaudeville act Places Argentina * Abbott, Buenos Aires United States * Abbott, Arkansa ...

radio show is about the City of Paterson inviting him back for "Lou Costello Day" to launch a new

garbage scow A garbage scow is a large watercraft used to transport refuse and waste/garbage across waterways. It is often in the form of a barge which is towed or otherwise moved by means of tugboats; however, many are also self-propelled. They are most common ...

. Three Abbott and Costello films had their world premieres at the Fabian Theater in Paterson, which could accommodate a crowd of 3,000: '' One Night in the Tropics'' (1940), '' Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion'' and '' Jack and the Beanstalk'' (1952). Costello was honored with a larger-than-life statue in Federici Park in 1992. The Great Falls were featured in the first season of the HBO crime drama '' The Sopranos'', both in the pilot and in the episode '' Pax Soprana'' as the place where Junior Soprano's friend's grandson committed suicide after taking poor designer drugs; as a favor, Junior Soprano had

Mikey Palmice This is a list of fictional characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', its video game '' The Sopranos: Road to Respect'' and its prequel film ''The Many Saints of Newark.'' Main characters Cast table Main character biographies Tony Sopran ...

and another individual toss the dealer, Rusty Irish, off the bridge over the falls. Other locations throughout the city were used in the series, as much of the show was shot on location in North Jersey. The New Jersey-based band Suit of Lights pays tribute to Paterson in their song "Goodbye Silk City". The 1983 music video " Two Tribes" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood makes reference to Paterson in its opening sequence. The first marketable revolver was produced in Paterson by Samuel Colt starting in 1836, and was known as the Colt Paterson. The first steam-powered and first electric-powered model trains were both invented in Paterson. Eugene Beggs made the first steam-powered train in the city around 1871. Beggs' employee, Jehu Garlick, invented the first electric-powered model train that consisted of a tinplate toy locomotive with four aluminum wheels. A 2016 exhibit at the New Jersey State Museum titled "Toy World" highlighted the history of New Jersey's toy-making industry and prominently featured Paterson's contribution to the history of toys.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Paterson include: ( (B) denotes that the person was born in Paterson). * Tom Acker (1930–2021), pitcher who played for four seasons with the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

* Jorge Acosta (born 1964), retired Colombian-born American soccer forward who earned 12 caps with the U.S. national team in 1991 and 1992 * Jimmie Adams (1888–1933), silent-screen comedian and actor * Mike Adams (born 1981), pro football player for the

Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...

* Adeva (born 1960),

house music House is a music genre characterized by a repetitive Four on the floor (music), four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute. It was created by Disc jockey, DJs and music producers from Chicago metropolitan area, Chicago' ...

and R&B vocalist *

Charlie Adler Charles Michael Adler (born October 2, 1956) is an American voice actor and voice director. He is known for his roles as Buster Bunny on ''Tiny Toon Adventures'', Ed and Bev Bighead on ''Rocko's Modern Life'' and Ickis on ''Aaahh!!! Real Monst ...

(born 1956), animation voice actor and director * Nelson Algren (1909–1981), author best known for his novel '' The Man with the Golden Arm'' * Henry C. Allen (1872–1942), politician who represented New Jersey's 6th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives 1905–1907 * Bruce Arians (born 1952), former head coach of the NFL's

Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...

and Tampa Bay Buccaneers * Jillian Armenante (born 1968), television and film actress, known for playing the role of Donna Kozlowski on ''

Judging Amy ''Judging Amy'' is an American legal drama television series that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS. This TV series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly. Its main character (Brenneman) is a judge who serves in a ...

'' (B) * Gerald Ash (born 1942), electrical engineer at Bell Labs, whose research has focused on routing problems (B) * Sisto Averno (1925–2012), guard and linebacker who played in the NFL for the original

Baltimore Colts The Baltimore Colts were a professional American football team that played in Baltimore from its founding in 1953 to 1984. The team now plays in Indianapolis, as the Indianapolis Colts. The team was named for Baltimore's history of horse breed ...

(1950), the New York Yanks (1951), Dallas Texans (1952) and the

(1953–1954) * Vincent Baggetta (born 1944), actor best known for his title role in the 1978–79 television series, '' The Eddie Capra Mysteries'' * Samm Sinclair Baker (1909–1997), author/coauthor of many how-to and self-help books, most notably ''

The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet The Scarsdale diet is a high-protein low-carbohydrate fad diet designed for weight loss created in the 1970s by Herman Tarnower, named for the town in New York where he practiced cardiology, described in the book ''The Complete Scarsdale Medic ...

'' which he coauthored with Dr. Herman Tarnower (B) *

Nathan Barnert Nathan Barnert (September 20, 1838 – December 23, 1927) was an American businessman and politician. He was twice elected as the Mayor of Paterson, New Jersey, first on April 9, 1883. He was the original founder of the Miriam Barnert Hebrew Free ...

(1838–1927), businessman and politician; twice elected as the Mayor of Paterson * Lawrence Barrett (1838–1891), leading actor of the 19th century *

Charles K. Barton Charles King Barton (August 16, 1886 – January 25, 1958) was an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 1943 to 1948. Barton was born in Paterson, New Jersey, the youngest of seven children of a silk dyer. He attended scho ...

(1886–1958), politician; served in the

New Jersey Senate The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232, ...

1943–1948 (B) * Charles D. Beckwith (1838–1921), represented New Jersey's 5th congressional district 1889–1891; mayor of Paterson 1885–1889 *

Candace Beinecke Candace Beinecke is Senior Partner of Hughes Hubbard & Reed, where in 1999 she became the first female head of a major New York firm. In November 2020 she was named Co-Chair of the Board of the Metropolitan Museum of Art with Hamilton James, effec ...

(born 1946/1947), Senior Partner of Hughes Hubbard & Reed, where in 1999 she became the first female head of a major New York firm. * Alexander Berzin (born 1944), Buddhist Scholar, translator and teacher focusing on the Tibetan tradition * Jeffrey Bewkes (born 1952), CEO, President, and Chairman of the Board of Time Warner * Jacob Bigeleisen (1919–2010), chemist who worked on the Manhattan Project on techniques to extract uranium-235 from uranium ore. (B) * Chauncey Black (born 1968), singer with the vocal group Blackstreet * Glenn Borgmann (born 1950), former professional baseball catcher who played in Major League Baseball for the

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...

and Chicago White Sox (B) * Jennie Bosschieter (1882–1900), woman who was raped and murdered, as an early victim of the date rape drug chloral hydrate which caused her death * Bill Braun, auto racer * Pete Bremy (born 1952), rock bass player best known for his associations with Vanilla Fudge and Cactus (B) *

Gaetano Bresci Gaetano Bresci (; November 10, 1869May 22, 1901) was an Italian-American anarchist who assassinated King Umberto I of Italy on July 29, 1900. Bresci was the first European regicide not to be executed, as capital punishment in Italy had been ab ...

(1869–1901), weaver and anarchist, assassinated Italian king Umberto I * Johnny Briggs (born 1944), former Major League Baseball player * Mark Brown (born 1980), NFL linebacker who played for the

New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...

* Edna Buchanan (born 1939), journalist and writer best known for her crime mystery novels * Rubin "Hurricane" Carter (1937–2014), boxer whose triple murder conviction was later overturned, subject of the Bob Dylan song " Hurricane" and the movie '' The Hurricane'' * Federico Castelluccio (born 1964), Italian-born actor, most known for portraying Furio Giunta on the

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...

series '' The Sopranos'' * Frank Catania (born 1941), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from the

35th Legislative District Military units *35th Fighter Wing, an air combat unit of the United States Air Force *35th Infantry Division (United States), a formation of the National Guard since World War I *35th Infantry Regiment (United States), a regiment created on 1 July 1 ...

1990–1994 (B) * Ersilia Cavedagni (1862–?), Italian-American anarcha-feminist activist, writer, and editor * Joe Clark (1938–2020), educator and former principal of Eastside High School, depicted by

Morgan Freeman Morgan Freeman (born June 1, 1937) is an American actor, director, and narrator. He is known for his distinctive deep voice and various roles in a wide variety of film genres. Throughout his career spanning over five decades, he has received ...

in the movie '' Lean on Me''

Maslin, Janet Janet R. Maslin (born August 12, 1949) is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for ''The New York Times''. She served as a ''Times'' film critic from 1977 to 1999 and as a book critic from 2000 to 2015. In 2000 Maslin h ...

"Movie Review: ''Lean on Me''"
'' The New York Times'', March 3, 1989. Accessed January 24, 2012. "And Morgan Freeman manages it in ''Lean on Me,'' in which he plays Joe Clark, the controversial high-school principal from Paterson, N.J." * Lou Costello (1906–1959), comedian, actor and producer and part of the comedy duo

Abbott and Costello Abbott may refer to: People *Abbott (surname) *Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849–1921), American painter and naturalist * Abbott and Costello, famous American vaudeville act Places Argentina * Abbott, Buenos Aires United States * Abbott, Arkansas ...

(B) *

Pat Costello Bernard Patrick "Pat" Costello Jr. (March 12, 1929 – July 12, 2014) was an American rower who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics and in the 1956 Summer Olympics. He was born in Detroit, Michigan. In 1952 he and his partner Walter Ho ...

(1902–1990), actor,

producer Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...

, stunt double and the brother of Lou Costello, who was the

executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...

for '' The Abbott and Costello Show'' (B) * Christos M. Cotsakos (born 1948), former CEO of E*TRADE (B) * Ernestina Cravello (1880–1942), Italian-American anarcha-feminist activist during the late 19th and early 20th centuries * Sunda Croonquist, comic and actress * Victor Cruz (born 1986), wide receiver for the NFL Super Bowl championship team, the

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...

* Joe Cunningham (1931–2021), former MLB first baseman and outfielder who played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox and Washington Senators (B) * Frank Davenport (1912–1995), politician; Sheriff of Passaic County and served one term in the

(B) *

Anthony Davis Anthony Marshon Davis Jr. (born March 11, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays the power forward and center positions. Davis is an eight-time NB ...

(born 1951), pianist and composer (B) *

Richard W. DeKorte Richard William DeKorte (March 27, 1936 – March 16, 1975) was a New Jersey Republican member of the New Jersey General Assembly. He was born in Paterson, New Jersey to John I. and Henrietta DeKorte, and educated at Ramsey High School, A ...

(1936–1979), politician; member of the New Jersey General Assembly (B) * Andrew Derrom (1817–1892), military officer, inventor, civil engineer, and industrialist * Bob DeVos (born 1946),

jazz guitarist Jazz guitarists are guitarists who play jazz using an approach to chords, melodies, and improvised solo lines which is called jazz guitar playing. The guitar has fulfilled the roles of accompanist (rhythm guitar) and lead guitar, soloist in small ...

(B) * William L. Dill (1874–1952), jurist who served on the New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals; politician; Democratic nominee for Governor of New Jersey in 1928 and 1934 * Larry Doby (1923–2003),

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

Major League Baseball player and manager who broke the color barrier in the American League * Eric Downing (born 1978), NFL player * Jacqueline Dubrovich (born 1994), Olympic foil fencer (B) * Lou Duva (1922–2017), boxing trainer, manager, and promoter, member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame * Randy Edelman (born 1947), film and TV score composer (B) *

Barry Edelstein Barry Edelstein is an American theatre director and author. He was appointed as Artistic Director of the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California, on October 17, 2012. He was also Director of the New York Shakespeare Festival / Public Theater's S ...

(born 1965), theatre director, author, and educator; Artistic Director of the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California (B) * W. Cary Edwards (1944–2010), politician; Attorney General of New Jersey 1986–1989 (B) * Eddie Einhorn (1936–2016), television executive, part-owner of the Chicago White Sox * Derrick Etienne (born 1996), professional soccer player for the New York Red Bulls * William W. Evans Jr. (1921–1999), politician who served as Mayor of Wyckoff and in the New Jersey General Assembly; candidate for the Republican nomination for president in 1968 (B) * George Feifer (1934–2019), journalist, novelist, and historian, known for his autobiographical novels chronicling life in the Soviet Union. (B) * Laurie Fendrich (born 1948), artist, writer and educator best known for her geometric abstract paintings (B) * John A. Ferraro (1946–2010), actor, academic, stage director, and television director * J. John Fox (–1999), judge known for his central role in the founding of the University of Massachusetts Medical School (B) * Sidney Geist (1914–2005), artist who was known for his sculpture and his art criticism (B) * Abe Gelbart (1911–1994), mathematician, founding dean of the Belfer Graduate School of Science at Yeshiva University, namesake of the International Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel * Allen Ginsberg (1926–1997), writer and

Beat Generation The Beat Generation was a literary subculture movement started by a group of authors whose work explored and influenced American culture and politics in the post-war era. The bulk of their work was published and popularized by Silent Generatio ...

poet * Teresa Giudice (born 1972), reality show participant on '' The Real Housewives of New Jersey'' * Abraham Godwin (1724–1777), captain of Marines USS ''Lady Washington'' in 1776 * Abraham Godwin (1763–1835), member of the New Jersey General Assembly 1802–1806 * Abraham Godwin Jr. (1791–1849), member of the New Jersey General Assembly 1821–1832 * Parke Godwin (1816–1904), journalist (B)Stauffer, David McNeely
''American Engravers Upon Copper and Steel: Biographical sketches, illustrated. Index to engravings described with check-list numbers and names of engravers and artists''
p. 107. Grolier Club of the City of New York, 1907. Accessed September 6, 2017. "Godwin, Abraham – Born in what is now Paterson, N.J., July 16, 1763; died there Oct. 5, 1835; he was the son of Abraham Godwin and Phebe Cool.... He was the father of the late editor and author. Parke Godwin. who was born in Paterson, N.J., in 1816." * Percy Goetschius (1853–1943), teacher of the theory of

musical composition Musical composition can refer to an original piece or work of music, either vocal or instrumental, the structure of a musical piece or to the process of creating or writing a new piece of music. People who create new compositions are called ...

(B) *

Shotsie Gorman Carl "Shotsie" Gorman (born 1951) is an American tattoo artist, painter, sculptor and poet. Gorman has been tattooing for over 42 years and is the co-founder of the Alliance of Professional Tattooists. As a poet, he was a second place winner of ...

(born 1951), tattoo artist, painter, sculptor and poet. (B) *

Bill Haast Bill Haast (December 30, 1910 – June 15, 2011) was the owner and operator, from 1947 until 1984, of the Miami Serpentarium, a tourist attraction south of Miami, Florida, where he extracted venom from snakes in front of paying customers. Afte ...

(1910–2011), snake and venom specialist, director of Miami Serpentarium Laboratories (B) *

Thomas Hagan Thomas Hagan (; born March 16, 1941) is a former member of the Nation of Islam who was convicted for assassinating Malcolm X in 1965. For a while he also went by the name Talmadge X Hayer, and his chosen Islamic name is Mujahid Abdul Halim. Ass ...

(born ), one of the men convicted for the assassination of Malcolm X *

Joseph Haj Joseph Haj is an American artistic director and actor who is the eighth artistic director of the Guthrie Theater. Before joining Guthrie, he worked at PlayMakers Repertory Company. Haj has performed as an actor and was named by ''American Theat ...

, actor, eighth artistic director of the

Guthrie Theater The Guthrie Theater, founded in 1963, is a center for theater performance, production, education, and professional training in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The concept of the theater was born in 1959 in a series of discussions between Sir Tyrone Gut ...

(1755/57–1804), first United States Secretary of the Treasury; helped found the Society for the Establishment of Useful Manufactures (S.U.M.) that helped establish Paterson around the Great Falls * Keith Hamilton (born 1971), NFL defensive tackle who spent his entire 12-season career with the

* Larry Hand (born 1940), defensive end and

defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...

who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the

Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...

1965–1977 (B) * The Happenings, pop music group created in the 1960s * Gerald Hayes (born 1980), linebacker for the

* Jon Herington (born 1954), guitarist, singer-songwriter, record producer, and session musician (B) * Ureli Corelli Hill (1802–1875), music conductor and founder of the

New York Symphony Orchestra The New York Symphony Orchestra was founded as the New York Symphony Society in New York City by Leopold Damrosch in 1878. For many years it was a rival to the older Philharmonic Symphony Society of New York. It was supported by Andrew Carnegie, ...

Garret A. Hobart Garret Augustus Hobart (June 3, 1844 – November 21, 1899) was the 24th Vice President of the United States, serving from 1897 until his death in 1899. He was the sixth American vice president to die in office. Prior to serving as vice pre ...

(1844–1899), Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly, President of the

and the 24th Vice President of the United States, serving under President William McKinley * Kendall Holt (born 1981),

light welterweight Light welterweight, also known as junior welterweight or super lightweight, is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional boxing In professional boxing, light welterweight is contested between the lightweight and welterweight divisions, ...

boxer who held the WBO junior welterweight championship 2008–09 * Michael Hossack (1946–2012), drummer, member of the Doobie Brothers * Michael Jace (born 1962), actor who appeared in '' The Shield'' * Ameer Jackson (born 1994), American professional basketball player (B) * Charlie Jamieson (1893–1969), Major League Baseball player * Henry Janowitz (1915–2008), Professor Emeritus of Gastroenterology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, known for his contributions into

inflammatory bowel disease Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of inflammation, inflammatory conditions of the colon (anatomy), colon and small intestine, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis being the principal types. Crohn's disease affects the small intestine a ...

s (B) * Morris Janowitz (1919–1988), sociologist and professor who made major contributions to sociological theory, the study of prejudice, urban issues and patriotism. (B) * Charles Samuel Joelson (1916–1999), lawyer and politician who served on the Paterson City Council and as the Representative for New Jersey's 8th congressional district 1961–1969 * Jemal Johnson (born 1985), former professional soccer player, most known for his spell with English League One side MK Dons (B) * Maxine Jones (born 1966), singer, member of En Vogue *

Ron Cephas Jones Ron Cephas Jones (born January 8, 1957) is an American actor. He is best known for his role in the drama series ''This Is Us'' (2016–2022), which earned him four consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations, winning twice for Outstanding Guest ...

(born 1957), actor known for '' This is Us'', '' Mr. Robot'' and ''

Across The Universe "Across the Universe" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. It was written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song first appeared on the 1969 various artists' charity compilation album ''No One's Gonna Change Our W ...

'' * Just Blaze (born 1978), hip hop music producer *

Alfred E. Kahn Alfred Edward Kahn (October 17, 1917 – December 27, 2010) was an American economist and political advisor who specialized in regulation and deregulation. He was an important influence in the deregulation of the airline and energy industries ...

(1917–2010), economist and deregulation advocate * Carla A. Katz (born 1959), labor leader who served as president of Local 1034 of the Communications Workers of America 1999–2008 * Joseph Keller (1923–2016), mathematician who specialized in applied mathematics (B) * King Kelly (1857–1894), Major League Baseball player and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame * Bernard Kerik (born 1955), former New York City Police Commissioner * Joseph Kipley (1848–1904), Superintendent of the

Chicago Police Department The Chicago Police Department (CPD) is the municipal law enforcement agency of the U.S. city of Chicago, Illinois, under the jurisdiction of the City Council. It is the second-largest municipal police department in the United States, behind t ...

1897–1901 (B) * Gabriel Kolko (1932–2014), historian, author (B) *

Garret Kramer Garret Kramer is an American author, speaker, coach, and teacher. He is the founder and managing partner of Inner Sports, a Morristown, New Jersey, firm specializing in non-duality and its relevance to performance, happiness, and sports psychology ...

, author and performance coach (B) * Vincent R. Kramer (1918–2001), United States Marine Corps colonel who was a

guerrilla warfare Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or Irregular military, irregulars, use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, Raid (military), raids ...

expert and was awarded the Navy Cross during the Korean War. (B) *

Sue Ane Langdon Sue Ane Langdon is an American actress. She has appeared in dozens of television series and had featured roles in films such as ''A Guide for the Married Man'' and ''The Cheyenne Social Club'', both directed by Gene Kelly, as well as '' The Round ...

(born 1936), actress (B) * Frank Lautenberg (1924–2013), politician who represented New Jersey in the United States Senate (B) * Jaynee LaVecchia (born 1954), Justice who has served on the New Jersey Supreme Court since 2000 (B) *

John L. Leal John Laing Leal (May 5, 1858 – March 13, 1914) was an American physician and water treatment expert who, in 1908, was responsible for conceiving and implementing the first disinfection of a U.S. drinking water supply using chlorine. He was one ...

(1858–1914), physician and water utility sanitary adviser; responsible for the installation of the first drinking water chlorine disinfection system in the U.S. * Walt Levinsky (1929–1999), big band and orchestral player, composer, arranger, and bandleader * Son Lewis (born 1951), blues singer and guitarist (B) *

John LoCascio John LoCascio (born November 25, 1991 in Paterson, New Jersey) is a lacrosse player for the Dallas Rattlers in Major League Lacrosse. A native of Fairfield Township, Essex County, New Jersey, LoCascio attended West Essex High School. Profession ...

(born 1991), defenseman for the

Rochester Rattlers Rochester may refer to: Places Australia * Rochester, Victoria Canada * Rochester, Alberta United Kingdom *Rochester, Kent ** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area ** History of Rochester, Kent ** HM Prison ...

in Major League Lacrosse * Adrienne Mancia (1927–2022), curator best known for her work with the Museum of Modern Art and the

Brooklyn Academy of Music The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is a performing arts venue in Brooklyn, New York City, known as a center for progressive and avant-garde performance. It presented its first performance in 1861 and began operations in its present location in ...

. * Don Martin (1931–2000), cartoonist for '' Mad'' magazine * Edward L. Masry (1932–2005), attorney whose firm was behind the case featured in '' Erin Brockovich'' (B) * Markis McDuffie (born 1997), professional basketball player for

Napoli Basket Napoli Basket, known for sponsorship reasons as GeVi Napoli, is an Italian professional basketball team of the city of Naples. It's the ''de facto'' successor of the S.S. Basket Napoli, Basket Napoli which was dissolved in 2009. The team has achi ...

of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A. *

Thomas McEwan Jr. Thomas McEwan Jr. (February 26, 1854, Paterson, New Jersey – September 11, 1926) was an American Republican Party politician who represented New Jersey's 7th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1895 to ...

(1854–1926), represented New Jersey's 7th congressional district from 1895–1899 *

Edward McNamara Edward James McNamara (August 13, 1884 - November 10, 1944) was an American Broadway theatre, Broadway and Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood actor. He appeared in several films between 1929 and 1944. Early life He was born on August 13, 1 ...

(1884–1944), Broadway and Hollywood actor who was discovered while working as a police officer in Paterson (B) * George Middleton (1880–1967), playwright (B) * Susan Misner (born 1971), actress who has appeared on films and television, including roles in ''

One Life to Live ''One Life to Live'' (often abbreviated as ''OLTL'') is an American soap opera broadcast on the ABC television network for more than 43 years, from July 15, 1968, to January 13, 2012, and then on the internet as a web series on Hulu and iTunes ...

'', '' The Bronx Is Burning'', '' Rescue Me'' and '' Chicago'' * Joe Mooney (1911–1975), jazz and pop accordionist, organist, and vocalist, who went blind at the age of 10 * Paul H. Mussen (1922–2000), developmental psychologist who described stages of child psychological development. (B) * Greg Olsen (born 1985), tight end for the Carolina Panthers (B) * Kenny Parker (born 1946), former American football

defensive back In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...

who played in the NFL for the

. (B) *

Vincent N. Parrillo Vincent N. Parrillo is professor emeritus of sociology at William Paterson University. He has been a visiting professor at the University of Liège, Belgium (2010), the University of Pisa, Italy (2006 and 1998), and Roehampton University, London ( ...

, professor of sociology at William Paterson University * Simon Perchik (1923–2022), poet * Joseph D. Pistone (born 1939), FBI agent and author who infiltrated the Bonanno crime family, as described in the film ''Donnie Brasco (film), Donnie Brasco'' * Robert Pitofsky (1929–2018), lawyer and politician who was the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission from 1995 to 2001. (B) * Bucky Pizzarelli (1926–2020), jazz guitaristRipmaster, Terence
''Mel Bay presents Bucky Pizzarelli: a life in music''
p. 31. Mel Bay Publications, 1998. . Accessed March 13, 2012. "Even with his busy and successful career, Bucky never forgot his roots in Paterson. His sons, John and Martin, are still listed in Paterson's #248 American Federation of Musicians Directory." * John Pizzarelli (born 1960), jazz guitarist and singer * Martin Pizzarelli (born 1963), jazz double-bassist * David Prater (1937–1988), of the soul duo Sam & Dave * Amos H. Radcliffe (1870–1950), Mayor of Paterson, New Jersey, 1916–1919; represented New Jersey's 7th congressional district 1919–1923 * Prince Randian (1871–1934), sideshow performer * Zoogz Rift (1953–2011), musician, painter and professional wrestling personality (B) * George Rochberg (1918–2005), classical composer (B) * Frederick Reines (1918–1998), Nobel Prize-winning physicist who co-discovered the neutrino * Sarah-Nicole Robles (born 1991), actress and voice actress, best known for providing the voice of Luz Noceda in the Disney Channel animated series ''The Owl House''. * Frankie Ruiz (1958–1998), salsa music singer (B) * John Ryle (manufacturer), John Ryle (1817–1887), industrialist and capitalist; known as the "father of the United States silk industry", starting the first silk mill in 1839 * Mary Danforth Ryle (1833–1904), philanthropist who donated millions to various city institutions, notably the Danforth Memorial Library * Kathryn Salfelder (born 1987), classical composer (B) * Nicholas Samra (born 1944), eparch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Melkite Catholic Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Newton, Eparchy of Newton in the United States, elected in 2011 (B) * Louis Scott (athlete), Louis Scott (1889–1954), gold medal winner at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm * Omar Sheika (born 1977), former professional boxer and multiple time super middleweight world title challenger. * Marcel Shipp (born 1978), running back for the

* Rocco Silano (born 1962), magician and author * Dave Sime (1936–2016), Olympic medal-winning Sprint (running), sprinter * Jack Wilkinson Smith (1873–1949), painter. (B) * John Spencer (actor), John Spencer (1946–2005), actor, best known for his role as Leo McGarry, the White House Chief of Staff on the television program, television drama ''The West Wing (TV series), The West Wing'' * John A. Spizziri (born 1934), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1972 to 1978 (B) * Bill Stern (botanist), Bill Stern (1926 –2021), botanist (B) * Lewis Atterbury Stimson (1844–1917), surgeon who was the first to perform a public operation in the United States using Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister, Joseph Lister's antiseptic technique (B) * J. Michael Straczynski (born 1954), science-fiction writer, creator and writer for ''Babylon 5'' (B) * Jesse Talbot (1805–1879) Hudson River School painter, Associate Member of the National Academy of Design, and friend to Walt Whitman. Talbot lived in Paterson in the late 1840s and painted some of his major works there. * Kazbek Tambi (born 1961), Seton Hall University women's soccer team head coach and retired U.S. soccer midfielder; member of the United States men's national soccer team, U.S. Olympic soccer team at the Football at the 1984 Summer Olympics, 1984 Summer Olympics; spent two seasons in the North American Soccer League (1968–84), North American Soccer League, four in the Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–92), Major Indoor Soccer League and one in the American Soccer League (1988–1989), American Soccer League; former United States women's national under-17 soccer team, United States U-17 women's soccer team coach * Albert Tangora (1903–1978), holder of the speed record for typing on a manual typewriter * Joe Taub (1929–2017), businessman who joined his brother Henry Taub and Frank Lautenberg in building the payroll company Automatic Data Processing; later was part of an investment group that acquired the New Jersey Nets (B) * Tim Thomas (basketball), Tim Thomas (born 1977), NBA basketball player * Dante Tomaselli (born 1969), horror film screenwriter, director, and composer (B) * Robert Torricelli (born 1951), politician, former representative of New Jersey in the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives (B) * Sammy Turner (born 1950), singer who was popular in the late 1950s (B) * Gregory Van Maanen (born 1937), artist * Elizabeth Vargas (born 1962), American Broadcasting Company, ABC news anchor (B) * Bruce Vilanch (born 1948), six-time Emmy Award-winning comedy writer, actor, and songwriter * Floyd Vivino, "Uncle" Floyd Vivino (born 1951), comic, and star of ''Uncle Floyd Show'', the longest-running broadcast and cable TV show in New Jersey; appeared in film ''Good Morning, Vietnam'' * Jerry Vivino (born 1954), musician (B) * Jimmy Vivino (born 1955), musician, guitarist, member of The Max Weinberg 7 * Fetty Wap (born 1991), rapper and singer * Darryl Watkins (born 1984), professional basketball player who played collegiately at Syracuse University, Syracuse * Patrick Warburton (born 1964), actor, best known for his roles in ''Seinfeld'' and ''Family Guy'' (B) * Bernie Wayne (1919–1993), composer best known for "Blue Velvet (song), Blue Velvet" * Joseph Weber (1919–2000), physicist who gave the earliest public lecture on the principles behind the laser and the maser and developed Weber bars, the first gravitational wave detectors (B) * Carl Weinrich (1904–1991), classical organist known for his recitals and recordings of Baroque music, Baroque organ music (B) * Wheeler & Woolsey, Bert Wheeler (1895–1968), of the comedy duo Wheeler & Woolsey * Alice White (1904–1983), film actress * K'Waun Williams (born 1991), cornerback who has played in the NFK for the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos * William Carlos Williams (1883–1963), important modern 20th-century poet; author of the poem "

" * Jerry Zaks (born 1946), stage and television director and actor * Giuseppe Zangara (1900–1933), assassin of Chicago mayor Anton Cermak, though President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt may have been his intended target * Paul Zukerberg (born 1957), lawyer, activist and politician (B)Suderman, Alan
"The Weed Candidate"
''Washington City Paper'', March 6, 2013. Accessed August 6, 2014. "The son of a self-taught musician who was a big wheel on the bar mitzvah and Jewish wedding circuit in Paterson, N.J., Zukerberg moved to D.C. 30 years ago to go to law school at American University."

References

External links

City of Paterson, New Jersey (official site)centercitypaterson.com
*[http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/paterson/ ''Working in Paterson: Occupational Heritage in an Urban Setting''] An ethnographic study from the Library of Congress. Oral history interviews and photographs from a study of working life in Paterson conducted in 1994. Accessed August 28, 2009. {{Authority control Paterson, New Jersey, 1851 establishments in New Jersey Arab-American culture in New Jersey Albanian-American history Cities in Passaic County, New Jersey County seats in New Jersey Faulkner Act (mayor–council) New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zones Populated places established in 1851 Populated places on the Underground Railroad Hispanic and Latino American culture in New Jersey