Oral History Archive

Stanley Shapiro
Memories of growing up in Coney Island in the 1940s and going back four times a year
Tony Williams
Growing up in Coney Island as a teenager in the 1960s and '70s
Ellina Graypel
Singer, musician and composer who lives in Sea Gate
Cuzzo Sosay
Musical inspiration and meditation at Coney Island
Joyce Chopra
Groundbreaking filmmaker grew up in Sea Gate and on Mermaid Avenue
Nasim Almuntaser
Brooklyn College history student grew up working in his family's bodega in Brighton Beach
Reverend Cliff Herring
The Roller Coaster Reverend shares stories of Cyclone weddings
Olga Martynchuk
Mother of professional boxing star Nikita Ababiy
Jen Kepler
Educator at New York Aquarium and passionate observer of Brooklyn wildlife
Ellen Abrams
Memories of growing up on West 29th Street and meeting her lifeguard husband on Coney Island Beach
Monica Ghee
Coney Island native and longtime independent game operator on Jones Walk
Tara Altebrando
Author of Dreamland Social Club, a novel set in Coney Island, who got engaged on the Wonder Wheel
Alan Fine
Memories of Washington Baths Annex in the 1950s and meeting his wife there when they were children
Martin Abrams
Brooklynite who was a lifeguard in the 1950s and met his wife of 60 years on Coney Island Beach
Natalie Johnson
Memories of having a season locker at Ravenhall and Washington Baths Annex in the 1950s and '60s
Ita Bullard
Horace and Ita Bullard's attempt to transform Coney Island
Stanislav Baev
Coney Island resident and founder of the not-for-profit American Alliance for Protection of Animals
Jeffrey Berman
Longtime Sea Gate resident and watercolor artist who teaches at Seaside Innovative Senior Center