Black tennis trailblazer William Moore's legacy lives on in Cape May more than 125 years later

Black History Month: Cape May remembers William J. Moore, educator and tennis pioneer

CAPE MAY,  N.J. (CBS) - A tennis trailblazer and a passionate educator of Black students in Cape May County died half a century ago, but if you look around Jersey Shore city, you will still see his name and influence live on.

Even on a cold winter day, the courts are busy at the William J. Moore Tennis Center in Cape May.

The club is woven into the fabric of the seaside resort's rich history, and the founder's name, William J. Moore, proudly hangs on the brick building in the shadow of the tennis courts.

"This great African American athlete, educator and community activist still has important points that matter to us today," Lynda Anderson-Towns said.

Anderson-Towns grew up and still lives in Cape May. She never met Moore, but she knows his life was about so much more than tennis. In 1973, Anderson-Towns was the first recipient of a college scholarship in Moore's name.

"I felt very connected to it because I knew Mr. Moore was an educator and valued it greatly," Anderson-Towns said.

Moore was born in 1872 to enslaved parents. He grew up in West Chester, graduated from Howard University and later landed in Cape May to pursue a career in education.

Moore began teaching in West Cape May in 1895. For more than 50 years, he taught eight grades of Black children, until segregated schools were outlawed.

A plaque now sits near West Cape May Elementary School, where Moore's school once stood.

Moore instilled pride in his students, and many pursued higher education. In 1973, some of his former students established the William J. Moore Foundation to preserve his legacy and award scholarships to financially challenged high school seniors in Cape May County.

"I would probably have not gone to college without Mr. Moore's help," Cape May Police Chief Dekon Fashaw said.

Fashaw received Moore's scholarship in 1993 and credits him for his career.

"I'm a living proof of that legacy," Fashaw said. "I would say because a part of Mr. Moore is the people that he inspired."

Fashaw and Anderson-Towns sit on the board of the William J. Moore Foundation. The foundation just marked 50 years of helping students pursue their dreams.

Moore's commitment to the community is also detailed in the Harriet Tubman Museum on Lafayette Street. Moore is recognized as one of the first Black tennis pros in the United States and is also widely known for how he taught the game.

"History connects to the Victorian style of Cape May," Anderson-Towns said. "But what is not often connected is how many African Americans contributed during that time."

Moore's name continues to live on, both in the classroom and on the courts.  

In:
• New Jersey
• Black History Month
• Cape May County

Ryan Hughes

Ryan Hughes joined CBS News Philadelphia in June 2022. He previously worked at WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he's covered stories ranging from weeks on the Surfside condo collapse, to the impact of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas, and the Super Bowl in Miami.

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