Fanwood’s own Kramer Manor neighborhood is a hotbed of black history! An extensive narrative has been compiled by current and past residents who have researched the origins and development of this area of Fanwood-Scotch Plains which was created specifically to attract African American families beginning in the 1920s.
Kramer Manor is a diverse neighborhood with a proud history. It encompasses portions of Fanwood and Scotch Plains, McGinn Elementary School, Willow Grove Swim Club and Kramer Manor Park. Created in 1924 by New York-based Kramer Realties, the 51-acre area was specifically marketed to black families who faced discrimination elsewhere. The result was an enclave of African-American residents who became like an extended family. The Kramer company fought for FHA funding on behalf of the residents after they were initially denied because of their race.
You can read all about it here, watch an informative video presentation and experience oral histories of past and current residents such as the late Deacon Elwood Green, Sr., an original homeowner, here.
