Chicken Bone Beach facts for kids
Chicken Bone Beach was a special part of the Atlantic Ocean beach in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It was located between Missouri and Mississippi Avenues. This section of the beach was known for being a place where many African American people gathered. It was called "Chicken Bone Beach" by local people. This nickname came from a story that many chicken bones were found there during cleanups. However, most reports say this story was not true.
A Special Beach in Atlantic City
After the American Civil War, people of all races lived together in Atlantic City. There were few problems between them. But around 1900, the beach started to become separated. This happened because some local businesses wanted it that way. Chicken Bone Beach then became a "blacks only" beach. It stayed this way until a very important law was passed. This law was called the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
How Segregation Worked
There were no signs or laws that said African Americans could not use the whole beach. But the separation was still very strict. Local police and often white beachgoers made sure of it. The Atlantic City Beach Patrol was supposed to be for everyone. However, its African American members usually worked only at Chicken Bone Beach.
