Oral History Archive

Filtering by 2000 - 2009 back to all

Mathylde Frontus

On growing up in Coney Island and founding the nonprofit Urban Neighborhood Services

Paul Sanchez

Coney Island singer/songwriter who wrote "A Coney Island Song"

Courtney King

Jamaican-born artist and Coney Island resident

Jeffrey Eisenmesser

Former teacher at Mark Twain Junior High School recalls his Coney Island memories

Charles Berkman

Memories of growing up in Coney Island during the Great Depression and 55 years practicing law

Eliot Wofse

A Coney Island native's memories of running amusement games

Dionne Brown (D.L. Jordan)

Lifelong Coney Island resident and author of Living Life Like It's Golden

Barry Yanowitz

Growing up in Coney Island in the 1970s and '80s and coming back to photograph it

Gregory Bitetzakis

Co-owner and operator of Gregory & Paul's for more than 50 years

Grace Lo

Homeowner and community activist in Coney Island's West End for almost 30 years

Johanna Gargiulo Sherman

Artist and Coney Island resident recalls growing up on Mermaid Avenue above Carolina Restaurant

Julio Sauce

Ecuadorian-born Gravesend resident is among NYC's fastest long-distance runners in his age category

Shirley Aikens

Community activist and president of the Carey Gardens Tenants Association

Antoinette Balzano

Granddaughter of Anthony "Totonno" Pero tells the story of how he founded Totonno's Pizzeria in 1924

Gene Ritter

Founder of Cultural Research Divers shares his knowledge of oceans, estuaries, and Coney Island Creek

Candi Rafael

Coney Island carny kid and water race game operator on the Bowery

Irina Roizin

Founder and director of Brighton Ballet Theater, founded in 1987

Santos Torres

Coney Island resident since the 1970s, community gardener and musician