Oral History Archive

Steve Larkin

Memories of working at a Coney Island beach chair and umbrella rental company as a teen in the 1970s

Johanna Gargiulo Sherman

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

Kite Flyers at Coney Island Kite Festival

Kite flyers Billy Echeverria, Nicholas Rowe, Kurtis Jones and Charles Stewart at Coney Island's Kite Festival

Lawrence Mach

Chef and owner of the Vendy Award winning Coney Shack food cart

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

Alfie Davis

Long-time Coney Island resident tells the story of three generations of her family

Derrick Batts

Coney Island resident and proprietor of Coney Island Hook and Bait Shop

Florian Freitag

Visiting scholar whose research interests include theme park studies

Candi Rafael

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

Irina Roizin

Founder and director of Brighton Ballet Theater, now celebrating its 30th year

Marie Martorano

Bensonhurst native recalls riding Spook-A-Rama and playing Fascination in the 1970s

Kathy Duke O'Melia

Girlhood memories of summering in a Coney Island bungalow in the 1950s

Santos Torres

Coney Island resident for 43 years, community gardener and musician

Commendatore Aldo Mancusi

Memories of Coney Island in the 1930s and '40s and growing up in Brooklyn in an Italian family

April Leong

Founder and principal of Coney Island's Liberation Diploma Plus High School