Paterson, New Jersey

Paterson (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>) is the largest city in and the county seat of Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.<ref name=CountyMap>New Jersey County Map, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed July 10, 2017.</ref> As of the 2020 United States census, Paterson was the state's third-most-populous municipality,<ref name=Largest2020>Table1. New Jersey Counties and Most Populous Cities and Townships: 2020 and 2010 Censuses, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Accessed December 1, 2022.</ref> with a population of 159,732.<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> an increase of 13,533 (+9.3%) from the 2010 census count of 146,199,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected a decline of 3,023 (-2.0%) from the 149,222 counted in the 2000 census.<ref>Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref> The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated a population of 156,452 for 2023,<ref name=PopEst/> making it the 168th-most populous municipality in the nation.<ref name=ANNRNK>Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places of 20,000 or More, Ranked by July 1, 2023 Population: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023, United States Census Bureau, released May 2024. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref>

A prominent mill town within the New York–New Jersey metropolitan area, Paterson has been known as Silk City for its once-dominant role in silk production during the latter half of 19th century.<ref name=Reuters>Thomasch, Paul. "Irene another blow to struggling New Jersey city", Reuters, September 1, 2011. Accessed January 24, 2012. "Nicknamed the 'Silk City' for its 19th-century silk factories, Paterson has a place in labor history as the site of a six-month strike in 1913 by the Industrial Workers of the World, or 'Wobblies,' who were viewed as a threat to capitalism at a time when the United States had a radical labor movement."</ref> It has since evolved into a major destination for Hispanic immigrants as well as for immigrants from Turkey, the Arab world, and South Asia. Paterson has the nation's second-largest per capita Muslim population.<ref name="algemeiner.com">"Robert Menendez, New Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair: 'No Daylight Between US, Israel On My Watch'", The Algemeiner, March 13, 2013. Accessed January 27, 2015. "JNS.org asked Menendez if his public support for the Jewish community and for Israel in any way has conflicted with his work in diverse New Jersey communities such as Paterson, a city that is home to the second-largest Muslim population in the U.S. as well as a mosque, the Islamic Center of Passaic County, whose leader, Mohammad Qatanani, is allegedly a member of Hamas."</ref>

History

The area of Paterson was inhabited by the Algonquian-speaking Native American Acquackanonk tribe of the Lenape, also known as the Delaware Indians. The land was known as the Lenapehoking. The Dutch claimed the land as New Netherlands, followed by the British as the Province of New Jersey.<ref name="Passaic County">Scott, William Winfield. "The Founding of Passaic 250 years ago" Template:Webarchive, Passaic County Historical Society, September 1, 1929. Accessed January 27, 2015.</ref>

Establishment

In 1791, Alexander Hamilton (1755/57–1804), first United States Secretary of the Treasury, helped found the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures (S.U.M.), which helped encourage the harnessing of energy from the Great Falls of the Passaic River to secure economic independence from British manufacturers. The society founded Paterson, which became the cradle of the Industrial Revolution in America.<ref>District Significance, Paterson Friends of the Great Falls. Accessed September 4, 2011.</ref> Paterson was named for William Paterson, statesman, signer of the Constitution and Governor of New Jersey, who signed the 1792 charter that established the Town of Paterson.<ref>Who Was William Paterson? Template:Webarchive, William Paterson University. Accessed September 4, 2011. "He also supported a proposal by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton and a group of investors to incorporate them as the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures (SUM). In 1792 he signed the charter incorporating SUM as well as a municipal charter covering 36 square miles for the Corporation of the Town of Paterson at the site of the Great Falls of the Passaic River."</ref><ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 16, 2015.</ref>

Architect, engineer and city planner Pierre L'Enfant (1754–1825), who had earlier developed the initial plans for Washington, D.C., was the first planner for the S.U.M. project.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> His plan proposed to harness the power of the Great Falls through a channel in the rock and an aqueduct. The society's directors felt he was taking too long and was over budget; he was replaced by Peter Colt, who used a less complicated reservoir system to get the water flowing to factories in 1794. Eventually, Colt's system developed some problems and a scheme resembling L'Enfant's original plan was used after 1846.<ref>Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures, Paterson Friends of the Great Falls. Accessed August 15, 2011.</ref><ref>Introduction: Project Copy of the Calendar of the S.U.M. Collection of Manuscripts from the New Jersey Historical Records Survey, Paterson Friends of the Great Falls, backed up by the Internet Archive as of March 11, 2015. Accessed December 9, 2016.</ref>

Paterson was originally formed as a township from portions of Acquackanonk Township on April 11, 1831, while the area was still part of Essex County. It became part of the newly created Passaic County on February 7, 1837, and was incorporated as a city on April 14, 1851, based on the results of a referendum held that day. The city was reincorporated on March 14, 1861.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 210. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref>

Industrial growth

The Template:Convert Great Falls and a system of water raceways that harnessed the falls' power provided power for the mills in the area until 1914 and fostered growth of the city.<ref>Narvaez, Alfonso A. "Historic Power Plant Reborn At The Great Falls In Paterson", The New York Times, June 30, 1987. Accessed April 18, 2012.</ref> The district originally included dozens of mill buildings and other manufacturing structures associated with the textile industry and, later, the firearms, silk, and railroad locomotive manufacturing industries. In the latter half of the 19th century, silk production became the dominant industry and formed the basis of Paterson's most prosperous period, earning it the nickname "Silk City."<ref>Paterson, New Jersey:America's Silk City, National Park Service. Accessed April 18, 2012. "These mills manufactured many things during the long history of this industrial city—cotton textiles, steam locomotives, Colt revolvers, and aircraft engines. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, they produced silk fabrics in such quantities that Paterson was known as 'Silk City.'"</ref>

In 1835, Samuel Colt began producing firearms in Paterson, but within a few years he moved his business to Hartford, Connecticut. Later in the 19th century, Paterson was the site of early experiments with submarines by Irish-American inventor John Philip Holland. Two of Holland's early models—one found at the bottom of the Passaic River—are on display in the Paterson Museum, housed in the former Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works near the Passaic Falls.<ref>Sachs, Andrea. "Escapes: Paterson, N.J.'s Great Falls is an urban oasis with depth", Washington Post, August 6, 2010. Accessed April 18, 2012. "The museum, for example, owns the first two submersibles built by John Philip Holland, the Father of the Modern Submarine, and 30 of the rare Colt Paterson firearms (1837–42), the third-largest collection in the world."</ref>

Behind Newark and New York, the brewing industry was booming in Paterson in the late 1800s. Braun Brewery, Sprattler & Mennell, Graham Brewery, The Katz Brothers, and Burton Brewery merged in 1890 to form Paterson Consolidated Brewing Company. Hinchliffe Brewing and Malting Company, founded in 1861, produced 75,000 barrels a year from its state-of-the-art facility at 63 Governor Street. All the breweries closed during Prohibition.<ref>Hinchliffe Brewery, City of Paterson. Accessed July 26, 2023. "The brewing industry in Paterson was soon thereafter crippled and dissolved by the Temperance movement and prohibition era of the 1920-30s."</ref>

The city was a mecca for immigrant laborers, who worked in its factories, particularly Italian weavers from the Naples region. Paterson was the site of historic labor unrest that focused on the six-month-long Paterson silk strike of 1913 that demanded the eight-hour day and better working conditions. It was defeated, with workers returning at the end of the strike without having negotiated any changes.<ref>Worth-Baker, Marcia. "Striking Out: Paterson’s Famous Labor Dispute", New Jersey Monthly, January 17, 2013. Accessed July 26, 2023. "The workers’ key demands: an eight-hour day and improved working conditions, including a return to the two-loom system.... One by one, the silk mills began to spin again without significant concessions from the owners. In the end, Steiger wrote, the strike was 'one of the most bitterly contested and wasteful contests in the history of the industries of this nation.'"</ref>

In 1919, Paterson was one of eight locations bombed by self-identified anarchists.<ref>Salerno, Salvatore. "Paterson's Italian Anarchist Silk Workers and the Politics of Race by Salvatore Salerno", libcom.org, February 5, 2011. Accessed November 28, 2011.</ref>

• A view of Paterson Template:Circa
  A view of Paterson Template:Circa
• The central business district of Paterson at the intersection of Market and Main Streets, 1911
  The central business district of Paterson at the intersection of Market and Main Streets, 1911

Post–World War II era

During World War II, Paterson played an important part in the aircraft engine industry. By the end of the war, however, urban areas were in decline; Paterson was no exception. Beginning in the late 1960s, the city suffered high unemployment rates and white flight.<ref>Hirsch, James S. Hurricane: The Miraculous Journey of Rubin Carter, p. 8. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2000. Template:ISBN. Accessed March 9, 2025. "At the time of Rubin Carter's arrest in 1966, his hometown of Paterson, New Jersey, was dominated by Mayor Frank X. Graves.... Faced with white flight and fears of rising crime rates, he launched a law-and-order crusade with a hard-edged moralism."</ref>

According to the New Jersey Historical Commission, Paterson’s industrialism ended “as the economy and technological needs of the United States changed. By 1983, Paterson was the fifth poorest city in the United States. The town that had called itself Silk City, the Iron City, and the Cotton City, was in economic ruin”.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Once millwork and production left the city, Paterson’s poverty became reminiscent of what occurred in the towns surrounding the Appalachian Mountains once the coal mining industry ended. In 2020, 25.2% of Paterson residents lived in poverty.<ref name=Census2020/>

Competition from malls in upscale neighboring towns like Wayne and Paramus forced large chain stores out of Paterson's downtown. With the decline of the city's industrial base, small businesses became the city's most prominent businesses. But the city still attracts many immigrants, who have revived its economy, especially through small businesses.<ref>Get to Know Paterson Template:Webarchive, Merchants & Businesses of Downtown Paterson. Accessed August 16, 2012. "Today, the city's growth and economy has been boosted by immigrants who still migrate to Paterson for the small business opportunities."</ref>Template:Better source needed

The downtown area has been struck by massive fires several times, most recently on January 17, 1991. In this fire, almost an entire city block was engulfed in flames due to an electrical fire in the basement of a bar at 161 Main Street.<ref>Last Alarm, Paterson Fire Journal, June 21, 2008. Accessed August 5, 2014.</ref> Firefighter John A. Nicosia lost his life in the fire.<ref>Via Associated Press. "Firefighter's Body Is Found", The New York Times, January 21, 1991. Accessed August 5, 2014. "Paterson firefighters have found the body of a missing colleague, two days after a fire destroyed much of two city blocks."</ref> A plaque honoring his memory was later placed on a wall near the area. The area was so badly damaged that most of the burned buildings were demolished, with an outdoor mall standing in their place. The most notable of the destroyed buildings was the Meyer Brothers department store, which closed in 1987 and had since been parceled out.<ref>Meyer Brothers Department Store Fire January 17, 1991, Paterson Fire History. Accessed July 26, 2023.</ref>

Paterson includes numerous locations listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including museums, civic buildings such as City Hall, Hinchliffe Stadium, Public School Number Two and the Danforth Memorial Library, churches (Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church), individual residences, such as Lambert Castle, and districts of the city, such as the Paterson Downtown Commercial Historic District, the Great Falls/Society for the Establishment of Useful Manufactures Historic District and the Eastside Park Historic District.<ref>New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Historic Preservation Office, updated June 22, 2023. Accessed July 26, 2023.</ref>

In August 2011, Paterson was severely affected in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, particularly by flooding of the Passaic River, where waters rose to levels unseen for 100 years, leading to the displacement of thousands and the closure of bridges over the river.<ref>Dolnick, Sam. "River, at 100-Year High, Ravages a City That Once Thrived on It", The New York Times, August 31, 2011. Accessed August 5, 2014. "On Wednesday, this working-class city in North Jersey was fighting back the highest floodwaters in over a century. At least 6,000 people here have been affected, Mayor Jeffery Jones said."</ref> Touring the area with Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano declared, "This is as bad as I've seen, and I've been in eight states that have been impacted by Irene." The same day, President Obama declared New Jersey a disaster area.<ref>Staff. "President Obama declares N.J. a disaster area as residents continue to deal with Hurricane Irene's impact", The Star-Ledger, September 1, 2011. Accessed August 5, 2014.</ref>

• A Hooverville for the unemployed on the outskirts of Paterson, 1937
  A Hooverville for the unemployed on the outskirts of Paterson, 1937
• Downtown, Paterson, New Jersey
  Downtown, Paterson, New Jersey

Geography

File:Map Passaic County Paterson NJ.gif

Road map of Passaic County, with Paterson, showing rivers and lakes around towns

Paterson is in the southern part of Passaic County, which is near the north edge of New Jersey, as a county that spans some hilly areas and has dozens of lakes. The county covers a region about Template:Convert. The region is split by major roads, including portions of Interstate 80, which runs through Paterson (see map at left). The Garden State Parkway (GSP) cuts across the south of Paterson, near Clifton, New Jersey. The Passaic River winds northeast past Totowa into Paterson, where the river then turns south to Passaic town, on the way to Newark, further south.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 8.71 square miles (22.55 km²), including 8.41 square miles (21.79 km²) of land and 0.29 square miles (0.76 km²) of water (3.38%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include Riverside and Totowa.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.</ref>

The city borders the municipalities of Clifton, Haledon, Hawthorne, Prospect Park, Totowa and Woodland Park (formerly West Paterson) in Passaic County; and both Elmwood Park (formerly East Paterson) and Fair Lawn in Bergen County.<ref>Areas touching Paterson, MapIt. Accessed March 2, 2020.</ref><ref>Passaic County Map Template:Webarchive, Coalition for a Healthy NJ. Accessed March 2, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>

Neighborhoods

Template:Paterson, New Jersey neighborhoods The Great Falls Historic District is the most famous neighborhood in Paterson because of the landmark Great Falls of the Passaic River. The city has attempted to revitalize the area in recent years, including the installation of period lamp posts and the conversion of old industrial buildings into apartments and retail venues. Many artists live in this section of Paterson. A major redevelopment project is planned for this district in the coming years. The Paterson Museum of Industrial History at Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works is situated in the Historic District.<ref>Paterson Mill Survey, City of Paterson. Accessed January 27, 2015.</ref>

Downtown Paterson is the main commercial district of the city and was once a shopping destination for many who lived in North Jersey. After a devastating fire in 1902, the city rebuilt the downtown with massive Beaux-Arts-style buildings, many of which remain to this day. These buildings are usually four to seven stories tall. Downtown Paterson is home to Paterson City Hall and the Passaic County Courthouse Annex, two of the city's architectural landmarks. City Hall was designed by the New York firm Carrere and Hastings in 1894, and was modeled after the Hôtel de Ville (city hall) in Lyon, France, capital of the silk industry in Europe.<ref>Walking Tour of Downtown Template:Webarchive, PatersonHistory.com. Accessed May 3, 2012.</ref>

The former Orpheum Theatre located on Van Houten Street has been converted to a mosque by the Islamic Foundation of New Jersey. The massive structure, now known as Masjid Jalalabad, can accommodate 1,500 worshipers.<ref name="Savor City" />

As with many other old downtown districts in the United States, Downtown Paterson suffered as shoppers and retailers moved to the suburban shopping malls of the region. Many historic buildings are in disrepair or are abandoned after years of neglect. In addition, Downtown Paterson is an Urban Enterprise Zone. The city has, in recent years, begun initiatives in hopes of reviving the downtown area with the centerpiece being the Center City Mall, constructed on a large parking lot spanning Ward Street from Main to Church Streets and features retail, entertainment, and commercial space. Downtown Paterson is located in the city's 1st Ward.<ref>Rumley, Ed. "Paterson mayor hears community complaints on speeding, drugs and parking at ward meeting", Paterson Press, August 21, 2019. Accessed July 26, 2023. "The 1st Ward covers about half the section of the city north of the Passaic River as well as the area around the Great Falls and Paterson’s downtown."</ref>

Eastside Park Historic District consists of about 1,000 homes in a variety of architectural styles, including Tudors, Georgian colonials, Victorians, Italianate villas and Dutch colonials. It is located east of downtown. Once the home of the city's industrial and political leaders, the neighborhood experienced a significant downturn as industry fled Paterson. In recent years, gentrification has begun to occur in the neighborhood and some of the area's historic houses have been restored.Template:Citation needed

The Eastside Park Historic District is a state and nationally registered historic place. The jewel of the neighborhood is Eastside Park and the mansions that surround it. This section of Paterson once had a large Jewish population that reached 40,000 at its peak; a synagogue still remains.<ref>Hyman, Vicki. "Colonial mansion restored in Paterson's once- (and again) grand Eastside Park", The Star-Ledger, July 1, 2009. Accessed September 22, 2011. "Smaller but no less spectacular examples of Tudor, Craftsman, Dutch Colonial, Federal, Greek Revival, Spanish and even mid-century modern homes sprang up over the next half-century. Eastside Park at one point was home to as many as 40,000 Jews, but they decamped rapidly to burgeoning suburbs starting in the late 1950s (though Temple Emanuel, the octagonal art deco neighborhood landmark, didn't pull up roots until 2005)."</ref> Eastside Park and what is commonly known as the Upper Eastside are located in Paterson's 3rd Ward.<ref name=MasterPlan>Master Plan, City of Paterson, March 2014. Accessed July 26, 2023.</ref>

East River Section is a section that is referred to by locals roughly bordering Riverside at 5th Avenue and extending south to Broadway, sandwiched in by Madison Avenue to McClean Boulevard (Route 20). However, the neighborhood's layout unofficially extends to the "Paterson-Newark/Hudson Route" of River Road in the Paterson-Memorial Park section of Fair Lawn whose house addresses are in alignment with the now-defunct Jewish synagogue on the corner of 33rd Street and Broadway, which connects Paterson to Newark/Hudson, and at one time was the main route through River Drive, which starts in Elmwood Park and rides north to south along the East Bank of the Passaic River in Paterson's original county.Template:Citation needed

Built when Paterson was still Bergen County, River Drive changes to River Road in the greater Eastside Sections of Upper Eastside-Manor Section, East River, and Riverside Sections, and turns into Wagaraw Road north of 1st Avenue / Maple Avenue in the old Bunker Hill extension of Columbia Heights in Fair Lawn an indication of not only entering the Industrial Section but also entering the foothills of the Ramapo Mountains in Hawthorne.Template:Citation needed

River Drive then turns into East Main Street to indicate that you have entered the Northside Section. The East River neighborhood which was and still maintains its "blue-collar" working-class identity, was at one time known for its large Jewish community, as well as a Neapolitan/Italian population and more recently other Mediterranean and Adriatic Europeans, Caribbean and South Americans, and other modern immigrant groups from all over the world, as well as African-Americans.Template:Citation needed

Manor Section is a residential neighborhood in Paterson. It is located east of East 33rd Street, north of Broadway, and southwest of Route 20 and the Passaic River. The Manor section of Paterson is located in the city's 3rd Ward. The layout and culture of the Manor Section also extends into the neighboring Lyncrest and Rivercrest sections of Fair Lawn, with all the addresses aligning themselves to the now-defunct Jewish Temple, located at the corner of 33rd and Broadway.

South Paterson, also known as Little Istanbul or Little Ramallah, is a diverse neighborhood with a growing number of immigrants from the Middle East, with significant Turkish and Arab communities.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The neighborhood is located in the 6th Ward, east of Main Street and west of West Railway Avenue. A majority of the city's Arabs live in this section of Paterson. Many of the retail shops and restaurants cater to this community. The neighborhood is characterized by Halal meat markets which offer goat and lamb, and shop signs are in Arabic. South Paterson's Arab community is mostly made up of Jordanians, Palestinians,<ref name="PalestinianPaterson">Cowen, Richard. "Paterson's Palestinians celebrate annual flag-raising at City Hall", The Record, May 18, 2014. Accessed August 5, 2014.</ref> Syrians,<ref name=syrianpaterson/><ref name=syrian2paterson/> and Lebanese.<ref>La Valle-Finn, Lisa. "Living The Dream: Palestinian traditions and American freedoms blend perfectly in Paterson.", New Jersey Monthly, November 10, 2009. Accessed November 14, 2011.</ref>

Lakeview is situated in the southern part of the city, and is a middle class neighborhood. Interstate 80 runs north of this district. Lakeview is home to the Paterson Farmers Market, where many people from across North Jersey come to buy fresh produce. The neighborhood is roughly 65% Hispanic, although it also has a significant Filipino presence. Lakeview also shares some of the same characteristics as neighboring Clifton as they both share a neighborhood bearing the same name. The Lakeview section of Paterson is located in the city's 6th ward.

Hillcrest is a largely residential, middle class enclave, to the west of the downtown area. Its borders' limits are Preakness Avenue to the east, Cumberland Avenue to the west, and Totowa Avenue along with West Side Park and the Passaic River to the south. Hillcrest is one of Paterson's most desirable neighborhoods. The neighborhood is very diverse having significant Italian, Arab, and Asian populations. The Hillcrest section of Paterson is located in the city's 2nd Ward.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

People's Park is a neighborhood located north of 23rd Avenue and south of Market Street. Twenty-First Avenue, or "La Veinte y uno", as it is known by most of Paterson's Spanish-speaking community, is located in the People's Park section of Paterson. It is an active and vibrant retail strip featuring a variety of shops and services catering to a diverse clientele. Twenty-First Avenue used to have a large Italian population. Although there is still a significant Italian presence left in the neighborhood, it also has a large first-generation Hispanic population, particularly Colombian.

Wrigley Park is a neighborhood that has suffered from years of poverty, crime, and neglect. It is mostly African-American. Poverty, crime, open-air drug markets, prostitution, vacant lots, and boarded-up windows are all common in this area. However, new houses are being built, and crime has dropped in recent years. This neighborhood is located north of Broadway. It is also known as the '4th Ward'.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was named for a Paterson paper manufacturing family.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sandy Hill is a neighborhood in the Eastside located roughly west of Madison Avenue, north of 21st Avenue, south of Park Avenue, and east of Straight Street. Due to Paterson's significant population turn-over, this neighborhood is now home to a large and growing Hispanic community, mostly first-generation Dominicans. The Sandy Hill section of Paterson is located in the city's 5th Ward. Roberto Clemente Park, which was originally known as Sandy Hill Park, is located in this neighborhood.Template:Citation needed

Part of the 5th Ward is called Near Eastside by residents to differentiate it from the Eastside Park Historic District to its immediate east.

Northside, located north of Downtown, suffers from many of the social problems facing the Wrigley Park neighborhood, but to a lesser extent. This neighborhood borders the boroughs of Haledon and Prospect Park and is known for its hills and sweeping views of the New York City skyline. The Northside section of Paterson is located in the city's 1st Ward.Template:Citation needed

Totowa section is a large neighborhood located west of the Passaic River, southwest of West Broadway and northeast of Preakness Avenue. As the name implies, it borders the town of Totowa. It is mostly Hispanic but with an increasing South Asian community, mainly Bangladeshi. Many Bengali grocery and clothing stores are located on Union Avenue and the surrounding streets. Masjid Al-Ferdous is located on Union Avenue, which accommodates the daily Bangladeshi pedestrian population.Template:Citation needed

A large Italian presence remains in this neighborhood. Many Peruvian and other Latin American restaurants and businesses are located on Union Avenue. Colonial Village and Brooks Sloate Terraces are located in this neighborhood. The Totowa Section is located in parts of the 1st and 2nd Wards of Paterson.Template:Citation needed

Stoney Road is Paterson's southwesternmost neighborhood, bordering Woodland Park to the south and Totowa across the Passaic River to the west. This neighborhood is home to Pennington Park, Hayden Heights, Lou Costello Pool, the Levine reservoir, Murray Avenue, Mc Bride Avenue, and Garret Heights. A strong Italian presence remains in this neighborhood. The Stoney Road section of Paterson is located in the city's 2nd Ward.

Riverside is a larger neighborhood in Paterson and, as its name suggests, is bound by the Passaic River to the north and east, separating the city from Hawthorne and Fair Lawn. Riverside is a working-class neighborhood. The neighborhood is mostly residential with some industrial uses. Madison Avenue cuts through the heart of this district. Route 20 runs through the eastern border of Riverside, providing an easy commute to Route 80 East and New York City. This section is ethnically diverse with a growing Hispanic community concentrating mostly north and along River Street. Many Albanians make their home in the East 18th Street and River Street areas. River View Terrace is located in this neighborhood. Riverside is located in parts of the 3rd and 4th Wards of Paterson.Template:Citation needed

Bunker Hill is a mostly industrial area west of River Street and east of the Passaic River.

Westside Park located off Totowa Avenue and best known as the site of the Holland submarine, Fenian Ram, which was built from 1879 to 1881<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> for the Fenian Brotherhood. It became the target of graffiti artists because the fence surrounding it was too low and too close to the submarine itself. The sub is now located in Paterson Museum.<ref>Other Important Industries In Paterson, Paterson Friends of the Great Falls. Accessed August 5, 2012.</ref>

• Paterson City Hall, April 2008
  Paterson City Hall, April 2008
• The Great Falls of the Passaic River in Paterson
  The Great Falls of the Passaic River in Paterson
• Paterson's skyline, showing the canyon of the Passaic River in the foreground. The area along the river was formerly the site of most of the mills that flourished throughout Paterson's history.
  Paterson's skyline, showing the canyon of the Passaic River in the foreground. The area along the river was formerly the site of most of the mills that flourished throughout Paterson's history.
• The Islamic Center of Passaic County in Paterson
  The Islamic Center of Passaic County in Paterson
• House in Paterson's inner city, 1974
  House in Paterson's inner city, 1974
• Interstate 80 and the east side of Paterson from the Garrett Mountain Reservation
  Interstate 80 and the east side of Paterson from the Garrett Mountain Reservation

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally cool to cold winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Paterson has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated Cfa on climate maps.<ref>Climate and monthly weather forecast Paterson, NJ</ref> Despite the size of the city, it has no weather reporting station, and thus, no historical climate data. Paterson uses Newark's airport for its local weather.Template:Citation needed

Demographics

File:Downtown-paterson-nj2.jpg

Downtown Paterson, pictured June 2009

Template:US Census population According to then-Mayor Jose Torres, Paterson had 52 distinct ethnic groups in 2014.<ref>Malinconico, Joe. "Political battle brewing over Paterson's plans for Hispanic Heritage Month event" Template:Webarchive, The Record, September 25, 2014. Accessed December 10, 2014. "'I have 52 different ethnic groups in the city,' said Torres. 'If I incur the expense, I have to do it for everybody.'"</ref> By 2020, Paterson had the second-largest Muslim population in the United States by percentage.<ref name="algemeiner.com"/> Paterson's rapidly growing Bangladeshi American,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Turkish American, Arab American,<ref name=ST2004>via Associated Press. "Muslims could prove key in choosing next U.S. president", The Seattle Times, October 8, 2004. Accessed July 17, 2011. "... Paterson, which is the nation's second-largest Arab-American community after the Dearborn, Mich.-area."</ref> Albanian American, Bosnian American, Dominican American, and Peruvian American communities are among the largest and most prominent in the United States, the latter owing partially to the presence of the Consulate of Peru.<ref>Sudol, Karen. "North Jersey Peruvians celebrate Peru's independence with a flag-raising in Paterson", The Record, July 27, 2013. Accessed August 5, 2014.</ref> Paterson's Muslim population has been estimated at 25,000 to 30,000.<ref name=Reuters/> Paterson has become a prime destination for one of the fastest-growing communities of Dominican Americans, who have become the city's largest ethnic group.<ref>Valencia, Laura. "Thousands celebrate their heritage in Paterson's Dominican Parade" Template:Webarchive, Paterson Press, September 8, 2013. Accessed August 5, 2014. "The Dominican community has become the largest among the city's more than 50 ethnic groups, with tens of thousands tracing their heritage to the Dominican Republic."</ref> The Puerto Rican population has established a highly significant presence as well.<ref name=hispanicpaterson/>

2020 census

Paterson, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic composition
Template:Nobold

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 1990<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	% 1990	% 2000	% 2010	Template:Partial
White alone (NH)	34,571	19,765	13,426	12,523	24.54%	13.25%	9.18%	7.84%
Black or African American alone (NH)	46,100	46,882	41,431	36,667	32.72%	31.42%	28.34%	22.96%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	225	242	217	186	0.16%	0.16%	0.15%	0.12%
Asian alone (NH)	1,754	2,728	4,663	7,991	1.24%	1.83%	3.19%	5.00%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	N/A	56	21	17	N/A	0.04%	0.01%	0.01%
Other race alone (NH)	530	496	437	1,260	0.38%	0.33%	0.30%	0.79%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	N/A	4,279	1,750	2,225	N/A	2.87%	1.20%	1.39%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	57,711	74,774	84,254	98,863	40.96%	50.11%	57.63%	61.89%
Total	140,891	149,222	146,199	159,732	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 146,199 people, 44,329 households, and 32,715 families in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 47,946 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 34.68% (50,706) White, 31.68% (46,314) Black or African American, 1.06% (1,547) Native American, 3.34% (4,878) Asian, 0.04% (60) Pacific Islander, 23.94% (34,999) from other races, and 5.26% (7,695) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 57.63% (84,254) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

Of the 44,329 households, 38.7% had children under the age of 18; 35.4% were married couples living together; 29.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 26.2% were non-families. Of all households, 21.0% were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.24 and the average family size was 3.71.<ref name=Census2010/>

27.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.9 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

Same-sex couples headed 290 households in 2010, a decline from the 349 counted in 2000.<ref>Lipman, Harvy; and Sheingold, Dave. "North Jersey sees 30% growth in same-sex couples", The Record, August 14, 2011, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 3, 2013. Accessed December 1, 2014.</ref>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $34,086 (with a margin of error of ±$1,705) and the median family income was $39,003 (±$2,408). Males had a median income of $30,811 (±$825) versus $28,459 (±$1,570) for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,543 (±$467). About 24.1% of families and 26.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.0% of those under age 18 and 25.4% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Paterson city, Passaic County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 24, 2012.</ref>

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 149,222 people, 44,710 households, and 33,353 families residing in the city, for a population density of 17,675.4 per square mile (6,826.4/km²).<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Paterson city, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 13, 2013.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 – Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Paterson city, Passaic County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 13, 2013.</ref> Among cities with a population higher than 100,000, Paterson was the second most densely populated large city in the United States, only after New York City.<ref>Cities with 100,000 or More Population in 2000 ranked by Population per Square Mile, 2000 in Rank Order Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 5, 2011.</ref>

There were 47,169 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 32.90% African American, 13.20% White, 0.60% Native American, 1.90% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 27.60% from other races and 6.17% from two or more races. Latino people of any race were 50.1% of the population.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/> The majority of Latinos are Puerto Rican 14%, Dominican 10%, Peruvian 5% and Colombian 3%.<ref>QT-P15 - Region and Country or Area of Birth of the Foreign-Born Population: 2000 from the 2000 Summary File 3 (SF 3) - Sample Data for Paterson city, Passaic County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 14, 2013.</ref>

There were 44,710 households, out of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were married couples living together, 26.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.25 and the average family size was 3.71.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.8% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/> The median income for a household in the city was $30,127, and the median income for a family was $32,983. Males had a median income of $27,911 versus $21,733 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,257. About 19.2% of families and 22.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.0% of those under age 18 and 19.4% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

Ethnic groups

File:Race and ethnicity 2010- Paterson.png

A map showing the diversity of Paterson's population, 2010

Waves of Irish, Germans, Dutch, and Jews settled in the city in the 19th century. Italian and Eastern Europe immigrants soon followed. As early as 1890, Syrian, Lebanese and Palestinian immigrants also arrived in Paterson.Template:Citation needed

In a book called The Shortest History of Migration, the economist Ian Goldin explains the concept of chain migration or network migration by noting that 90% of Dutch migrants from South Holland to the United States settled in three American towns, one of which was Paterson.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In addition to many African Americans of Southern heritage, more recent immigrants have come from the Caribbean and Africa. Paterson's black population increased during the Great Migration of the 20th century, but there have been Patersonians of African descent since before the Civil War. However, Paterson's black population declined between the years 2000 and 2010,<ref>Paterson city, New Jersey QuickLinks Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed May 21, 2013.</ref> consistent with the overall return migration of African Americans from northern New Jersey back to the Southern United States.<ref>Sheingold, Dve. "North Jersey black families leaving for lure of new South", The Record, February 20, 2011. Accessed May 21, 2013. "In Paterson, the number dipped from 46,900 to 41,400 and now comprises 28 percent of the city's population."</ref> A house once existing at Bridge Street and Broadway was a station on the Underground Railroad. It was operated from 1855 to 1864 by abolitionists William Van Rensalier, a black engineer, and Josiah Huntoon, a white industrialist.<ref>Sharkey, Joe. "Finding a Lost Page From a Family History", The New York Times, November 10, 1996. Accessed May 3, 2012. "Blinking back tears, Delores Van Rensalier pushed a shovel into the damp earth in a vacant lot wedged between a Wendy's restaurant and the police and courts complex in downtown Paterson. Beside her, workers were putting up a sign to mark the lot as the location of 'the Huntoon-Van Rensalier Station of the Underground Railroad, 1855–1864.'... Paterson, a prosperous milltown before the Civil War, was a 'station' on the Underground Railroad, the clandestine network of way stations operated by northern abolitionists to help slaves escape to Canada from the South. Huntoon operated his station in partnership with Van Rensalier, whom Ms. Van Rensalier now suspects came here on a slave ship and later assumed the Dutch name as a free man.</ref> There is a memorial located at the site.<ref>Van Rensalier, Dolores; and Alaya, Flavia. Bridge Street to Freedom: Landmarking a Station on the Underground Railroad, Ramapo College, 1999. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Anderson, Samuel. "Plans for a monument at Paterson's Underground Railroad station", Paterson press, January 10, 2014. Accessed January 27, 2015.</ref> Many second- and third-generation Puerto Ricans have called Paterson home since the 1950s, including an estimated 10,000 who participated in the 2014 mayoral election, which was won by Jose "Joey" Torres, a Puerto Rican American who was one of three Hispanic candidates vying for the seat.<ref name=hispanicpaterson>Loboguerrero, Cristina; translated from Spanish by Carlos Rodríguez-Martorell, Carlos. "Three Hispanic Candidates Vie For Paterson, NJ Mayor" Template:Webarchive, Voices of NY from El Diario La Prensa, May 12, 2014. "Puerto Rican José 'Joey' Torres, who was the mayor from 2002 to 2010, seeks to regain the seat after losing it to Jeffery Jones in the past election. Torres and the current City Council President Andre Sayegh are the main favorites to unseat Jones in the May 13 election. The other Latino candidates are both Dominican: María Teresa Feliciano is a newcomer in politics, and Councilman Rigo Rodríguez was recently charged with electoral fraud."</ref> Today's Hispanic immigrants to Paterson are primarily Dominican, Peruvian, Colombian, Mexican, and Central American, with a resurgence of Puerto Rican migration as well. In 2014, more than 600 business people attended the annual Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey Convention in Paterson.<ref>Anzidei, Melanie. "Hispanic chamber hosts annual convention in Paterson; state provides grant for entrepreneurship center", The Record, October 23, 2014. Accessed December 10, 2014.</ref>

Western Market Street, sometimes called Little Lima by tourists, is home to many Peruvian and other Latin-American businesses. In contrast, if one travels east on Market Street, a heavy concentration of Dominican-owned restaurants, beauty salons, barbershops, and other businesses can be seen. The Great Falls Historic District, Cianci Street, Union Avenue, and 21st Avenue have several Italian businesses. To the north of the Great Falls is a fast-growing Bangladeshi population. Park Avenue and Market Street between Straight Street and Madison Avenue are heavily Dominican and Puerto Rican.Template:Citation needed

Main Street, just south of downtown, is heavily Mexican with a resurgent Puerto Rican community.<ref name="PatersonDemographics2017">[1] Template:Webarchive Accessed May 18, 2019.</ref> Broadway, also called Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way, is significantly black, as are the Fourth Ward and parts of Eastside and Northside, although Paterson's African American population is declining.<ref name=PatersonDemographics2017/> Costa Ricans and other Central American immigrant communities are growing in the Riverside and Peoples Park neighborhoods. Main Street between the Clifton border and Madison Avenue is heavily Turkish and Arab. 21st Avenue in the People's Park section is characterized by Colombian and other Latin American restaurants and shops. According to a Colombian newspaper, since 2022, Paterson has become the home of almost 200 Colombian immigrants from Manatí, a small town in Colombia.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Every summer, Patersonians conduct an African American Day Parade, a Dominican Day Parade, a Puerto Rican Day Parade, a Peruvian Day Parade, and a Turkish-American Day Parade; budget cuts in 2011 have forced parade organizers to contribute to cover the costs of police and other municipal services.<ref>Schectman, Joel; and Patberg, Zach. "Ethnic parades in Paterson likely to be victims of city budget stress", The Record, June 13, 2011. Accessed September 4, 2011. "The Puerto Rican, Dominican and African-American parades, which attracted tens of thousands of people, face shutdown after Mayor Jeffery Jones demanded that organizers pay as much as $100,000 for police and clean up after the event.... Peruvians were set to celebrate their 25th annual parade in Paterson next month. The event has brought in more than 35,000 people from as far away as Florida."</ref>

Paterson is widely considered the capital of the Peruvian diaspora in the U.S.<ref>A Brief History of Peruvian Immigration to the United States Template:Webarchive, yumimmigrantcity.com. Accessed May 21, 2013. "Today, Paterson, NJ remains the effective 'capital' of the Peruvian Diaspora in the United States."</ref> Little Lima, a Peruvian enclave in Downtown Paterson, is the largest Peruvian enclave outside of South America, home to approximately 10,000 Peruvian immigrants.<ref name=PatersonPeruvian1>Cowen, Richard. "Peruvian chefs in Paterson have Eva's kitchen to thank", The Record, May 18, 2019. Accessed November 14, 2020. "Paterson has an estimated 10,000 Peruvian immigrants, according to the U.S. Census, which make it the largest Peruvian enclave in the United States."</ref><ref name="Savor City">Harrison, Karen Tina. "Savor City; Paterson, the one-time Silk City, is a Great Falls of ethnic eating.", New Jersey Monthly, July 13, 2019. Accessed November 14, 2020. "Turkish, Syrian, Lebanese, Egyptian, and Palestinian immigrants, among others, share a grand mosque, Masjid Jalalabad, in the renovated, once-endangered 1921 Orpheum Theater. A long stretch of Main Street in the South Paterson neighborhood amounts to a Jersey souk, or market, encompassing all kinds of shops and Middle Eastern eateries."</ref> Paterson has named an area bordered by Mill, Market, Main, and Cianci streets "Peru Square".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Paterson's rapidly growing Peruvian community celebrates what is known as Señor de los Milagros ("Our Lord of Miracles" in English) on October 18 through 28th each year and every July participates in the annual Passaic County Peruvian Day Parade, which passes through Market Street and Main Street in the Little Lima neighborhood of Downtown Paterson.<ref>Staff. "Photos: Annual Peruvian Day Parade in Passaic County. The parade makes its way down Market Street in Paterson", The Record, July 27, 2014. Accessed December 10, 2014.</ref> In the 2000 Census, 4.72% of residents listed themselves as being of Peruvian American ancestry, the third-highest percentage of the population of any municipality in New Jersey and the United States, behind East Newark with 10.1% and Harrison with 7.01%.<ref>Peruvian Communities Template:Webarchive, EPodunk. Accessed July 19, 2011.</ref> The community includes both Quechua and Spanish speakers.<ref>Torrens, Claudia via Associated Press. "Some NY immigrants cite lack of Spanish as barrier", U-T San Diego, May 28, 2011. Accessed May 21, 2013. "Peruvians who speak Quechua live in Queens and Paterson, N.J."</ref>

Paterson is home to the third-largest Dominican-American Community in the United States, after New York City and Lawrence, Massachusetts. In the 2000 Census, 10.27% of residents listed themselves as being of Dominican American ancestry, the eighth highest percentage of the population of any municipality in the United States and the third-highest percentage in New Jersey, behind Perth Amboy's 18.81% and Union City's 11.46%.<ref>Dominican Republic Ancestry Template:Webarchive, EPodunk. Accessed July 19, 2011.</ref> Paterson renamed a section of Park Avenue in Sandy Hill to Dominican Republic Way to recognize the Dominican community, which is the largest Hispanic community in the city.<ref>Rahman, Jayed. "Paterson's largest Hispanic community celebrates renaming Park Avenue to Dominican Republic Way", Paterson Times, October 8, 2016. Accessed October 23, 2018. "The long-promised renaming of Park Avenue to recognize the city's largest Hispanic community came to pass on Saturday afternoon with resounding chants of 'Viva La Republica Dominicana!' at the Juan Pablo Duarte Park."</ref>

Paterson is home to the largest Turkish-American immigrant community in the United States (known as Little Istanbul) and the second largest Arab-American community after Dearborn, Michigan.<ref name=ST2004/> Paterson has been also nicknamed Little Palestine and contains a neighborhood with the same name in South Paterson, with an Arab American population estimated as high as 20,000 in 2015,<ref>Yellin, Deena. "Palestinian flag-raising is highlight of heritage week in Paterson", The Record, May 3, 2015. Accessed May 29, 2015.</ref><ref>Adely, Hannan. "Hundreds of Palestinians rally in Paterson in protest of Israeli military campaign", The Record, July 19, 2014. Accessed August 5, 2014. "Organized by community leaders, the rally took place in the South Paterson neighborhood often called Little Ramallah for its large population of Palestinian-Americans."</ref> serving as the center of Paterson's growing Syrian American<ref name=syrianpaterson>Villeneuve, Marina; and Seasly, John. "Nearly 100 gather for Paterson candlelight vigil honoring Syrian refugees" Template:Webarchive, The Record, September 5, 2015. Accessed December 6, 2016.</ref><ref name=syrian2paterson>Adely, Hannan. "Paterson embraces Syrian refugees as neighbors" Template:Webarchive, The Record, December 1, 2015. Accessed December 6, 2016.</ref> and Palestinian American populations.<ref name=PalestinianPaterson/> The Paterson-based Arab American Civic Association was reported in 2014 to have an Arabic language program in the Paterson Public Schools that served 125 students at School 9 on Saturdays.<ref>Staff. "Paterson school district restarts Arab language program for city youths", Template:Webarchive Paterson Press, December 10, 2014. Accessed December 10, 2014. "City education officials have resumed providing a program that teaches 125 students the Arab language. The district has been offering the program, which is run by the Paterson-based Arab American Civic Association, for more than a decade."</ref> Paterson is also home to the largest Circassian immigrant community in the United States.<ref>Natho, Kadir I. Circassian History, p. 530. Xlibris Corporation, 2009. Template:ISBN.Template:Self-published source</ref>Template:Self-published inline

The Greater Paterson area, which includes the cities of Clifton and Wayne and the boroughs of Haledon, Prospect Park, North Haledon, Totowa, Woodland Park, and Little Falls, is home to the nation's largest North Caucasian population, mostly Circassians, Karachays, and small Chechen and Dagestani communities. Reflective of these communities, Paterson and Prospect Park public schools observe Muslim holidays.<ref>Yellin, Deena. "More NJ school districts recognize Muslim holidays", The Record, October 22, 2010. Accessed May 29, 2015. "Yet, many New Jersey districts have for years closed schools for Muslim holidays, including Paterson, Atlantic City, Trenton, Cliffside Park, Piscataway, Prospect Park, Plainfield and Irvington."</ref>

Paterson has incorporated a rapidly growing Bangladeshi American community, which was estimated in 2024 to number 15,000,<ref>Chowdhury, Rumki. "Paterson's large Bangladeshi community helps a new family settle in", Paterson Press, December 15, 2024. Accessed February 23, 2025. "The most recent U.S. census data shows only New York City ahead of Paterson in Bangladeshi population. Immigrants from Bangladesh started coming to Paterson in the 1980s and their numbers surged during the past two decades, reaching about 15,000."</ref><ref>Malinconico, Joe; and Kratovil, Charlie. "Paterson's Bengali Community Takes Pride in Akhtaruzzaman's Upset Victory", The Alternative Press, May 9, 2012. Accessed August 5, 2014. "Ahmed estimated that Paterson has about 15,000 Bengali residents."</ref> the largest in the United States outside New York City.<ref>"Bangladeshis in the New York Metro Area", All Peoples Initiative. Accessed October 27, 2014.</ref> Mohammed Akhtaruzzaman was ultimately certified as the winner of the 2012 city council race in the Second Ward, making him North Jersey's first Bangladeshi-American elected official.<ref>Clunn, Nick. "Officials certify election of Akhtaruzzaman to Paterson's 2nd Ward", The Record, November 27, 2012. Accessed August 5, 2014. "Election officials Tuesday certified Mohammed Akhtaruzzaman as the winner of a special City Council race, settling a prolonged political contest that ended with his reclaiming the seat he lost in a court challenge.... It was unclear when Akhtaruzzaman would take office as the representative for the 2nd Ward and reclaim his mantle as the first Bangladeshi-American elected to municipal office in North Jersey."</ref>

Economy

Portions of the city are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. The city was selected in 1994 as one of a group of 10 zones added to participate in the program.<ref>Urban Enterprise Zone Tax Questions and Answers, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, May 2009. Accessed October 28, 2019. "In 1994 the legislation was amended and ten more zones were added to this successful economic development program. Of the ten new zones, six were predetermined: Paterson, Passaic, Perth Amboy, Phillipsburg, Lakewood, Asbury Park/Long Branch (joint zone). The four remaining zones were selected on a competitive basis. They are Carteret, Pleasantville, Union City and Mount Holly."</ref> In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the UEZ, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate (half of the Template:Frac% rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants.<ref>Urban Enterprise Zone Program, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Accessed October 27, 2019. "Businesses participating in the UEZ Program can charge half the standard sales tax rate on certain purchases, currently 3.3125% effective 1/1/2018"</ref> Established in September 1994, the city's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in September 2025.<ref>Urban Enterprise Zones Effective and Expiration Dates, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Accessed January 8, 2018.</ref> The UEZ program plays a pivotal role in the city's economic revitalization.<ref>About The UEZ Program, City of Paterson. Accessed November 19, 2019. "Today, Paterson retains its proud history and is making a true 'silk to silicon' transformation. Central to this revitalization is the UEZ Program as it enables retail members to charge 3 1/2% sales tax giving them a competitive edge over other businesses."</ref>

Arts and culture

The Paterson Literary Review has been published annually by the Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College, and edited by Maria Mazziotti Gillan, since 1979. Though it also includes prose and reviews, PLR is most well-known for its submitted poetry — having published works by notable poets such as Allen Ginsberg, Philip Levine, William Stafford, and Sonia Sanchez.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Since 2018, Paterson has hosted an annual Paterson Poetry Festival, which includes poetry performances from rising and established artists, workshops, panels, open mics, and contests like a slam face-off. From 2018 through 2022, the festival was held on the stairs of the Passaic County Court House in downtown Paterson; in 2023, the festival was held at the amphitheater in Woodland Park's Rifle Camp Park.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Paterson has a significant parks and recreation system, including larger areas such as Eastside, Westside, and Pennington Parks, as well as neighborhood parks such as Wrigley, Robert Clemente, and People's.<ref>City Parks Facilities, City of Paterson. Accessed May 3, 2012.</ref> The Great Falls of the Passaic are part of the national park system.

Template:Main The Paterson Museum, in the Great Falls Historic District, was founded in 1925 and is owned and operated by the city of Paterson. Its mission is to preserve and display the industrial history of the city. Since 1982, the museum has been housed in the Thomas Rogers Building on Market Street, the former erecting shop of Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works, a major 19th-century manufacturer of railroad steam locomotives.<ref>Paterson Museum, City of Paterson. Accessed November 14, 2011.</ref>

Template:Main Belle Vista, locally known as Lambert Castle, was built in 1892 as the home of Catholina Lambert, the self-made owner of a prominent silk mill in Paterson. After Lambert's death in 1923, his family sold the building to the city, which in turn sold it to the County of Passaic a few years later. The county used the building for administrative offices, and in 1936, provided one room to the fledgling Passaic County Historical Society to serve as its historical museum. As time went by the museum grew, room by room until the entire first floor became the historical museum.

In the late 1990s, the Castle underwent a multi-million-dollar restoration and all four floors of the building were developed into a museum and library. Today, Passaic County remains the owner of the building and supports the facilities' operation; however, the Passaic County Historical Society is solely responsible for the operation and management of Lambert Castle Museum with its historical period rooms, long-term and changing exhibition galleries, educational programs for elementary and middle-school students, and research library/archive.<ref>Lambert Castle, Passaic County Historical Society. Accessed November 14, 2011.</ref>

Above Lambert Castle stands a Template:Convert observation tower, located at the peak of Garret Mountain, which while technically standing in Woodland Park, was constructed when the property was considered part of Paterson. The tower is part of the Garret Mountain Reservation and renovations were completed in 2009 to restore the tower to the original condition as built in 1896 by Lambert, who used the tower to impress guests with its view of the New York City skyline.<ref>Cowen, Richard. "Renovation of Woodland Park's 'Lambert Castle' tower nearly complete", The Record, December 1, 2009. Accessed May 3, 2012.</ref>

Attempts were being made to fund the restoration of the Paterson Armory as a recreation and cultural center, but the building was destroyed by fire before these could bear fruit.<ref>Malinconico, Joe. "A Dream or Reality? Plans for Paterson Armory Take Shape", The Alternative Press, April 9, 2012. Accessed May 3, 2012.</ref>

Athletics

From 1932 to 1933, Paterson constructed Hinchliffe Stadium, an Art Deco concrete stadium.<ref name=HinchliffeNTHP>Hinchliffe Stadium, National Trust for Historic Preservation.</ref> Originally called City Stadium, it was renamed in honor of Mayor John V. Hinchliffe and his uncle John Hinchliffe.<ref name=MartinMartin>Alfred M. Martin & Alfred T. Martin, The Negro Leagues in New Jersey: A History (McFarland, 2008), pp. 21-23.</ref> The New York Black Yankees of the Negro National League played at the stadium from 1933 to 1937 and from 1939 to 1945.<ref name=MartinMartin/> Professional football teams, including the Paterson Panthers, Newark Bears, and Jersey City Giants, played here.<ref name=MartinMartin/> The stadium was also a venue for other professional and high school athletic competitions, boxing matches, fireworks displays, and music concerts.<ref name=MartinMartin/><ref name=HinchliffeNTHP/> The comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello performed at Hinchliffe before boxing matches (Abbott was from the coastal New Jersey city of Asbury Park and Costello was a Paterson native).<ref name=Malinconico>Malinconico, Joe. "Paterson's Hinchliffe Stadium is a keystone in the history of Negro Leagues baseball", Paterson Press, October 3, 2018.</ref> The stadium was acquired by Paterson Public Schools since 1963 and closed in 1996.<ref name=HinchliffeNTHP/> It has fallen into disrepair, although preservation and restoration efforts have taken place.<ref name=MartinMartin/><ref name=HinchliffeNTHP/> The stadium is one of two surviving Negro league baseball stadiums, the other being Birmingham, Alabama's Rickwood Field.<ref name=MartinMartin/> Hinchliffe Stadium is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.<ref name=Malinconico/> As of 2022, the stadium is home to the New Jersey Jackals minor league baseball team.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Media

WPAT (AM) 930 has been licensed to Paterson since 1941. 93.1 FM was added in 1957.Template:Citation needed

Paterson is also the city of license for the Spanish-language Univision network's flagship station WXTV-DT, channel 41, whose studios are located on Frank W. Burr Boulevard in Teaneck, New Jersey. WXTV-DT serves the New York City area.Template:Citation needed

Government

Local government

The City of Paterson operates within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under a Plan-D Mayor-Council form of government, which was adopted in 1974 in a change from a 1907 statute-based form.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 151.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 10. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref><ref>City Council, City of Paterson. Accessed January 14, 2013. "The City of Paterson Municipal Council was created as a result of a 1974 decision to change its form of government from a 1907 statute-based form, to a Faulkner Act Plan-D Mayor-Council Form."</ref> The city is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form.<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>

Under the Mayor-Council plan, the Mayor is the chief executive and is responsible for administering the City's activities. The Mayor is elected at-large for a four-year term by the citizens and is responsible for them. The mayor enforces the charter and the ordinances and laws passed by the City Council. The Mayor appoints all department heads including the business administrator, with the advice and consent of the Council and may remove any department heads after giving them notice and an opportunity to be heard. With the assistance of the business administrator, the Mayor is responsible for the preparation of the municipal budget. The Mayor submits the budget to the Council along with a detailed analysis of expenditures and revenues. The Council may reduce any item or items in the budget by a majority vote but can only increase an item by a two-thirds vote.<ref name=Council/><ref name=DataBook/><ref>Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask", New Jersey State League of Municipalities, March 2007. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref>

The City Council is comprised of nine members. Of these, six are elected through the use of the ward system, where candidates run to represent a certain area of the city. The other three seats are elected using the at-large system, where each candidate is voted upon by the entire voting population of the city. Municipal elections are held in even-numbered years, are non-partisan, and take place on the second Tuesday in May. The six members of the City Council representing their wards are elected in the same years as presidential elections, while the mayoral election and the at-large Council elections are held in the same years as the mid-term Congressional elections.<ref name=Council/><ref name=DataBook/>

Template:As of, the Mayor of Paterson is Andre Sayegh, whose term of office ends June 30, 2026. The previous mayor was Jane Williams-Warren, who was serving on an interim basis following the resignation of José "Joey" Torres.<ref name=Mayor>Mayor, City of Paterson. Accessed July 11, 2022.</ref> Torres was in his third non-consecutive term as Mayor of Paterson, having first been elected by defeating incumbent Martin G. Barnes in 2002 and then winning re-election in 2006 against Lawrence Spagnola. After losing his bid for a third consecutive term by a margin of 600 votes to City Council President Jeffery Jones in 2010, Torres defeated Jones in a rematch four years later.<ref>Staff. "Joey Torres regains mayor's seat in Paterson", The Star-Ledger, May 14, 2014. Accessed March 21, 2016. "After a four-year absence, Jose "Joey" Torres will again be the mayor of New Jersey's third-largest city.... Jones beat Torres by less than 600 votes to become mayor in 2010."</ref> Torres pleaded guilty to corruption charges in September 2017 that required him to leave office and to serve a prison term of five years. According to city law, the President of the City Council is the next in line to succeed a Mayor who is removed from office for any reason and serves as Acting Mayor until the next election, unless the Council appoints someone else to fill the post within 30 days of the creation of the vacancy. City Council President Ruby Cotton immediately became Mayor upon Torres' resignation <ref>Malinconcino, Joe; Oglesby, Amanda. "Paterson Mayor Joey Torres pleads guilty to corruption charges", Asbury Park Press, September 24, 2017. Accessed September 24, 2017. "Paterson Mayor Joey Torres, a former Jackson business administrator, pleaded guilty to corruption charges Friday afternoon, despite saying for months after his indictment that he would be vindicated in the courts. The proposed agreement will require Torres, 58, to step down from the mayor's job and serve prison time up to five years in prison.... Torres will be replaced as mayor on an interim basis by City Council President Ruby Cotton. She will remain in the top job until Paterson's mayoral election in May 2018, unless her colleagues pick someone else to fill the job during the next 30 days."</ref> and served until September 29, when the council voted 5–4 to appoint Williams-Warren, a former city clerk, as interim mayor until the May 2018 municipal election.<ref>Malinconico, Joe. "Paterson Council picks Williams-Warren, not Ruby Cotton, to be interim mayor until May election", Paterson Press, September 30, 2017. Accessed September 30, 2017. "Retired municipal clerk Jane Williams-Warren will become Paterson's next mayor on Oct. 10, under decision reached by the City Council late Friday. Williams-Warren will fill the seat that Jose 'Joey' Torres was forced to give up as a result of his conviction on Sept. 22 of corruption charges. The council picked Williams-Warren to serve as interim mayor despite a standing-room-only crowd that jammed City Hall to urge the governing body to keep Councilwoman Ruby Cotton as Paterson's acting mayor."</ref>

Members of the City Council are Council President Shahin Khalique (Second Ward; 2024), Council Vice President Alex Mendez (Third Ward; 2024), Alaa "Al" Abdelaziz (Sixth Ward; 2024), Ruby N. Cotton (Fourth Ward; 2024), Maritza Davila (at-large; 2026), Michael Jackson (First Ward; 2024), Lilisa Mimms (at-large; 2026), MD Forid Uddin (at-large; 2026) and Luis Velez (Fifth Ward; 2024).<ref name=Council>City Council | Council Members | City Ordinances, City of Paterson. Accessed January 21, 2024. "The City of Paterson Municipal Council was created as a result of a 1974 decision to change its form of government from a 1907 statute-based form, to a Faulkner Act Plan-D Mayor-Council Form.... The Mayor-Council plan consisted of a Mayor and Nine (9) Council members, Six (6) of the members that sit on the Municipal Council represent the Six Wards of the City. The three (3) remaining members are members At-Large. The Municipal Council has the responsibility of reviewing and approving Municipal legislation. Under the Mayor-Council plan, the Mayor is the chief executive and is responsible for administering the City's activities. The Mayor is elected for a four (4) year term by the citizens and is responsible for them."</ref><ref>2021 Municipal Data Sheet, City of Paterson. Accessed July 11, 2022.</ref><ref name=PassaicDirectory>Passaic County 2021 Directory, Passaic County, New Jersey, updated as of April 2021. Accessed July 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Passaic2022Municipal>2022 Paterson Municipal Election May 10, 2022 Official Results, Passaic County, New Jersey, updated May 18, 2022. Accessed July 11, 2022.</ref><ref name=Passaic2020Municipal>May 12, 2020 Summary Report Passaic County Official results, Passaic County, New Jersey, updated May 20, 2020. Accessed July 11, 2022.</ref>

In July 2018, Alaa "Al" Abdelaziz was selected to fill the Sixth Ward seat expiring in June 2020 that had been held by Andre Sayegh until he stepped down to take office as mayor.<ref>Malinconico, Joe. "Al Abdelaziz becomes Paterson's new 6th Ward councilman", Paterson Press, July 11, 2018. Accessed March 16, 2020. "In a unanimous vote, the City Council picked the co-chairman of the Paterson Democratic Party on Tuesday night to be the new council member for the 6th Ward. Al Abdelaziz will serve in the position, which became vacant when Andre Sayegh took office as mayor."</ref> In the November 2018 general election, Abdelaziz was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Passaic2018>2018 General Election November 6, 2018 Summary Report Passaic County Official Results Template:Webarchive, Passaic County, New Jersey, updated November 30, 2018. Accessed January 1, 2019.</ref>

In 2018, the city had an average property tax bill of $8,087, the lowest in the county, compared to an average bill of $10,005 in Passaic County and $8,767 statewide.<ref>2018 Property Tax Information, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, updated January 16, 2019. Accessed November 7, 2019.</ref><ref>Marcus, Samantha. "These are the towns with the lowest property taxes in each of N.J.'s 21 counties", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, April 30, 2019. Accessed November 7, 2019. "New Jersey's average property tax bill may have hit $8,767 last year — a new record — but taxpayers in some parts of the state pay just a fraction of that.... The average property tax bill in Paterson was $8,087 in 2018, the lowest in Passaic County."</ref>

The 2020 election for Paterson's Third Ward city council was invalidated after allegations of voter fraud vote-by-mail. More than 24% of ballots failed to meet the standard for mail-in ballots.<ref>Judge invalidates Paterson, NJ, city council election after allegations of mail-in voter fraud</ref>

In March 2025, Mayor Andre Sayegh declared Paterson "the capital of Palestine in the United States."<ref>NJ Mayor: Paterson Is the Capital of Palestine in the United States of America, VIN News, March 9, 2025</ref>

Federal, state and county representation

Paterson is located in the 9th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 35th state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>Districts by Number for 2011–2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref> Prior to the 2010 Census, Paterson had been part of the Template:Ushr, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.<ref name=LWV2011>2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government Template:Webarchive, p. 62, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed May 22, 2015.</ref>

Politics

In the 2020 presidential election, Democrat Joe Biden won 38,453 votes (80.3%) to Republican Donald Trump’s 9,053 (18.9%) among 47,876 votes cast (representing a turnout of 55.7% among 85,932 registered voters).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Four years earlier, Democrat Hillary Clinton won 40,697 votes (89.8%) to Trump’s 3,999 (8.8%) among 45,336 votes cast (representing a turnout of 55.8% among 81,282 registered voters).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Presidential elections results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2024<ref name="2024Elections">Template:Cite web</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|34.2% 13,819	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|62.0% 25,054	3.8% 1,500
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2020<ref name="2020Elections">Template:Cite web</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|18.9% 9,053	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|80.3% 38,453	0.8% 270
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2016<ref name="2016Elections">Template:Cite web</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|8.8% 3,999	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|89.8% 40,697	1.4% 611
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2012<ref name="2012Election">Template:Cite web</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|6.1% 2,696	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|93.6% 41,662	0.3% 152
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2008<ref name="state.nj.us">2008 Presidential General Election Results: Passaic County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed January 11, 2025.</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|9.7% 4,098	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|90.0% 38,085	0.3% 150
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2004<ref name="Presidential Election 2004">2004 Presidential Election: Passaic County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed January 11, 2025.</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|17.1% 5,959	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|82.8% 28,896	0.1% 151

Emergency services

The City of Paterson is served by the Paterson Police Department.<ref>Paterson Police Department, City of Paterson. Accessed November 14, 2011.</ref>

The Paterson Fire Department, headed by Chief Brian McDermott, operates out of seven fire stations with a total of 400 employees and is also responsible for the city's emergency medical services division and ambulance units.<ref>About Template:Webarchive, Paterson Fire Department. Accessed May 3, 2012.</ref> The department is part of the Metro USAR Strike Team, which consists of nine North Jersey fire departments and other emergency services divisions working to address major emergency rescue situations.<ref>Steadman, Andrew. "Bayonne firefighters participate in mock disaster drills in Newark", The Jersey Journal, May 1, 2012. Accessed June 6, 2016. "According to the press release, the Metro USAR Strike Team is made up of nine fire departments from Bayonne, Elizabeth, Hackensack, Hoboken, Jersey City, Newark, Paterson, Morristown as well as the five-municipality North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue Agency."</ref>

In addition to local services, Paterson is home to the Passaic County Sheriff's Office Courts Division in the Passaic County Courthouse and Correctional Division in the Passaic County Jail. The jail, originally constructed in 1957, can accommodate 1,242 inmate beds.<ref>Passaic County Jail, Passaic County Sheriff's Office. Accessed December 10, 2014. "Originally constructed in 1957, the Passaic County Jail was built to accommodate 227 beds. Over the years, the jail has undergone many changes. The facility now consists of 4 floors and has a 1242 inmate bed capacity."</ref>

In April 2011, Paterson laid off 125 police officers, nearly 25% of the total force in the city, due to severe budget constraints caused by a $70 million deficit.<ref>Patberg, Zach. "Paterson layoff of 125 police officers draws protests", The Record, April 18, 2011. Accessed September 4, 2011.</ref> At the same time, the Guardian Angels, a New York City–based volunteer citizen safety patrol organization, began operating in Paterson at the invitation of the Mayor.<ref>Lynn, Kathleen. "Guardian Angels begin Paterson patrols", The Record, April 17, 2011. Accessed September 4, 2011. "Responding to the layoffs of 125 Paterson police officers, the New York City-based Guardian Angels began patrols in the city Sunday. The Guardian Angels arrived in Paterson on Sunday to begin patrolling the city. The 18 Angels, in signature red jackets and berets, were greeted in front of City Hall by Mayor Jeffery Jones, who had invited the volunteer safety patrol organization in February as the city's budget problems deepened."</ref>

St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center is a large institution providing comprehensive emergency services as well as non-emergency medical care to Paterson and the surrounding community.<ref>Home page Template:Webarchive, St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center. Accessed September 4, 2011.</ref>

State takeover of police department

The New Jersey Attorney General took over control of the Paterson Police Department on March 27, 2023, after the fatal police shooting of Najee Seabrooks.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Attorney General Matthew Platkin criticized the "revolving door" of police leadership in Paterson, which has resulted in dysfunction within police ranks and a lack of trust in local law enforcement.<ref name="Greene">Template:Cite web</ref> Platkin's comments alluded to the challenges created by frequent turnover at the top of the police department and the negative impact it has had on community relations.<ref name="Greene"/> Mayor Sayegh has fired two police chiefs: Troy Oswald in 2020<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Mike Baycora in 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Transportation

File:2021-06-16 16 31 46 View west along Interstate 80 (Bergen-Passaic Expressway) from the overpass for Passaic County Route 649 (Madison Avenue) in Paterson, Passaic County, New Jersey.jpg

Interstate 80 westbound in Paterson

Roads and highways

Template:As of, the city had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by Passaic County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Passaic County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 24, 2014.</ref>

By road, Paterson is served directly by Interstate 80, as well as State Routes 4, 19, and 20. The Garden State Parkway, U.S. Route 46, State Routes 3, 17, 21, and 208 are also nearby and serve as feeder roads to the community.

Paterson also served as the terminus for numerous major secondary roads in northern New Jersey. Paterson Plank Road linked the city to Jersey City and eventually, the Hudson River waterfront in Hoboken, while the Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike connected the city with Sussex County along what is now parts of State Route 23.

Public transportation

The city is served by the NJ Transit Main Line commuter rail service to Hoboken, with the station located in Downtown Paterson. Plans are being developed for a new commuter rail service on the existing NYS&W line, which is currently single-tracked. The Passaic-Bergen Rail Line plans to have five stops in Paterson.<ref>"Passaic-Bergen Rail Plan Advances: NJT Board Amends Contract To Cover Final Design Expenses" Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit press release dated April 18, 2007. Accessed July 19, 2011.</ref>

Bus service to locations in Passaic, Bergen, Essex and Hudson counties is provided by NJ Transit, making the city a regional transit hub. The Broadway Bus Terminal, also in downtown, is the terminus for many NJ Transit bus lines.<ref>Bus Terminals Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed August 25, 2015.</ref>

Service to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan is offered on the 151, 161 and the 190, by the 171 to the George Washington Bridge Bus Station in Washington Heights, Manhattan, on the 72 to Newark, with local service provided on the 74, 702, 703, 704, 707, 712, 722, 744, 746, 748, and 770 routes.<ref>Passaic County Bus/Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed July 19, 2011.</ref><ref>Passaic County System Map Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed August 15, 2015.</ref> Many buses stop at or near City Hall, going to various points in the area, including New York and the neighboring communities.

Private, independent jitney buses (guaguas or dollar vans) connect Paterson with neighboring communities along Route 4 and provide transportation to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal and George Washington Bridge Bus Station in Manhattan. These buses run at high frequency but do not have formal, published schedules.<ref>Jitney Transportation Along New Jersey's Route 4 Corridor, Columbia University Urban Transportation Policy, November 30, 2006. Accessed August 7, 2013.</ref><ref>Paterson – Port Authority, Jitney Buses of New Jersey. Accessed November 19, 2016.</ref><ref>Paterson – George Washington Bridge, Jitney Buses of New Jersey. Accessed November 19, 2016.</ref>

Education

The Paterson Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.<ref>Paterson Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification Template:Webarchive, Paterson Public Schools. Accessed March 28, 2022. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades pre-kindergarten through twelve in the Paterson School District. Composition: The Paterson School District comprises all the area within the municipal boundaries of the City of Paterson."</ref> The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. Burke<ref>What We Do: History, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022. "In 1998, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in the Abbott v. Burke case that the State must provide 100 percent funding for all school renovation and construction projects in special-needs school districts. According to the Court, aging, unsafe and overcrowded buildings prevented children from receiving the "thorough and efficient" education required under the New Jersey Constitution.... Full funding for approved projects was authorized for the 31 special-needs districts, known as 'Abbott Districts'."</ref> which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.<ref>What We Do, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022.</ref><ref>SDA Districts, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022.</ref>

As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of 51 schools, had an enrollment of 27,601 students and 2,053.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.4:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Paterson Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref> District enrollment in Paterson surged at the start of the 2015–16 school year, creating a public school enrollment of 700 students higher than expected and putting the school district in a situation of needing to hire teachers rapidly not long after the district had laid off 300 positions.<ref>Malinconico, Joe. "Months after layoffs, unexpected enrollment puts Paterson school district in hiring scramble", The Record, September 17, 2015. Accessed September 17, 2015. "Just months after imposing more than 300 layoffs, the city school district is scrambling to hire dozens of extra teachers to handle an unexpected enrollment increase of about 700 students.... But far more immigrants have moved into Paterson than were expected, the superintendent said."</ref>

In 2011, all of Paterson's high schools were changed to theme schools, as part of a goal to give students a better choice in areas they wanted to pursue.<ref>Brody, Leslie. "Paterson to split JFK high school into four academies", The Record, March 7, 2011. Accessed November 14, 2011. "Paterson school officials will split the troubled John F. Kennedy High School into four smaller academies so that starting next fall, all public high school students in the city will be enrolled in a 'choice' magnet school."</ref> Among the 594 students who took the SAT in 2013, the mean combined score was 1120 and there were 19 students (3.2% of those taking the exam) who achieved the combined score of 1550 that the College Board considers an indicator of college readiness, a decline from the 26 students (4.3%) who achieved the standard the previous year.<ref>Malinconico, Joe. "Latest SAT results: Number of Paterson 'college-ready' students drops to 19", Paterson Press, October 14, 2014. Accessed December 11, 2014. "A report released by the school district last week showed 19 of the 594 Paterson students who took the SATs this year had scores that met the "college-ready" criteria established by the College Board, which conducts the standardized tests."</ref>

Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology is a charter school serving students in kindergarten through twelfth grade.<ref>Admissions FAQ Template:Webarchive, Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology. Accessed November 3, 2014.</ref> Other charter schools include Community Charter School of Paterson (K–8), John P. Holland Charter School (K–8) and Paterson Arts and Science Charter School (K–7).<ref>Charter Schools Directory Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed August 25, 2015.</ref>

In 2021, Governor Murphy announced the approval of a new charter school, Brilla NJ, to be opened in 2023. It was the first approved charter in his first term as governor.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The city is host to the state's annual robotics competition held at Passaic County Community College. The North Jersey Robotics Competition was created to place high educational merit on the students of Paterson. The competition draws schools from around New Jersey. Three events make up the meet which takes place on two different days. The competition's tenth-anniversary event in 2011 was won by Paterson's Panther Academy.Template:Citation needed

Blessed Sacrament School and St. Gerard Majella School are elementary schools that operate under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson.<ref>Passaic County Schools, Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson Catholic Schools Office. Accessed August 15, 2015.</ref> In the face of declining enrollment and financial difficulties, Paterson Catholic High School, the city's last remaining Catholic high school, was closed by the Diocese of Paterson.<ref>Naanes, Marlene. "Paterson Catholic to close by end of school year" Template:Webarchive, The Record, April 21, 2010. Accessed June 21, 2011. "Paterson Catholic Regional High School, which has prided itself for four decades on serving some of the area's poorest and immigrant families, will close its doors the diocese said Wednesday, citing enormous debt, plummeting donations and a bad economy."</ref>

Paterson hosts the main campus of Passaic County Community College, established in the 1970s, which serves 13,000 students at its main campus and at satellite programs in Passaic, Wanaque and at the Public Safety Academy.<ref>About PCCC, Passaic County Community College. Accessed May 21, 2013.</ref>

Sister cities

Sister cities of Paterson include:

• Template:Flagdeco Eskişehir, Turkey, May 22, 2002<ref>Eskisehir Municipality's Sister Cities List</ref>
• Template:Flagdeco Lyon, Rhône, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France<ref>Staff. "Mr. Jones wants Surat as a sister city", Paterson Times, June 28, 2013. Accessed August 25, 2015. "The city has sister city status with a number of municipalities around the world including with Lyon, France; Eskişehir, Turkey; and Yulin, China."</ref>
• Template:Flagdeco Surat, Gujarat, India<ref>Malinconico, Joe; and Green, Jeff. "Paterson mayor reports India delegation will be visiting soon", The Record, July 5, 2013. Accessed December 10, 2014. "Jones said he reached a sister-city agreement with Surat City that was signed by members of the Indian community's chamber of commerce."</ref>
• Template:Flagdeco Ramallah, Palestine<ref>Adely, Hannan. "In nod to its Palestinian community, Paterson signs sister city agreement with Ramallah", The Record, Archived from the original on June 26, 2023. Accessed May 19, 2025.</ref>
• Template:Flagdeco Vadodara, Gujarat, India<ref>Staff. "Mr. Jones wants Surat as a sister city", Paterson Times, June 28, 2013. Accessed August 5, 2014. "Jeffery Jones, the mayor of Paterson, during his much lambasted visit to India, has proposed to establish sister city link between the Indian city of Surat, a large diamond cutting town with a population of more than 4 million, and the city of Paterson, according to a local Indian newspaper."</ref>
• Template:Flagdeco Yulin, Shaanxi, China<ref>Clunn, Nick. "Paterson Officials Invited To Sister City In China", The Record, December 10, 2011. Accessed December 10, 2014. "The expo is considered an important regional event for business interests in southeast China and Yulin City, which struck a 'friendship agreement' with Paterson."</ref>

Friendship

File:Montescaglioso Street.jpg

Montescaglioso Street in Paterson

There is a pact of friendship with the town of Montescaglioso (Matera, Basilicata, Italy), as testified by mutual naming of two streets in their city centers. Paterson was a place of Italian emigration from the late nineteenth century to the 1970s and today houses a large community of citizens of Montescaglioso who emigrated in those years.<ref name=ItaliansLOC>Twenty-First Avenue: Place of Conjunction (Template:Webarchive), Library of Congress. "Italians from that town found their way to Paterson and settled in the 21st Avenue area earlier in this century. This population increased over the years, at least in part because of the Italian practice of chain migration. The Paterson Montese community was fed by renewed immigration after World War II, from about the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s, when immigration from Italy to the United States slowed considerably as a result of vastly improved economic conditions in Italy."</ref>

• "Avenue Paterson" in Montescaglioso<ref>Avenue Paterson</ref>
• "Montescaglioso Street" in Paterson<ref>Montescaglioso Street</ref>

The San Rocco Society was founded in Paterson, an association whose main purpose is to maintain sales relationships with the Italy, and in some ways the traditions.<ref>Rassegna delle Associazioni Lucane nel Mondo</ref>

In popular culture

Literature

• Paterson is the subject of William Carlos Williams' five-book epic poem Paterson, a cornerstone work of modern American poetry.<ref name="Reuters" />
• Paterson is also mentioned in the twelfth line of Part 1 of Allen Ginsberg's poem Howl. In the novel On the Road by Ginsberg's friend Jack Kerouac, the protagonist Sal Paradise lives with his aunt in Paterson. Kerouac may have chosen Paterson as a stand-in for his hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts, also a mill town with a waterfall.<ref>Schiller, Kristan. "Kerouac's 'On the Road' And Its Jersey Ties", The New York Times, December 4, 1994. Accessed May 21, 2013. "Kerouac was born and raised in the Merrimack River valley town of Lowell, Mass., and lived in Ozone Park, Queens, with his mother, Gabrielle Ange Levesque Kerouac, when he started writing On the Road. He imagined himself in the story as Salvatore Paradise, a young writer attempting a novel while living with an unnamed aunt in another American city – Paterson, N.J."</ref>
• Paterson is the setting of many of Junot Díaz's short stories and novels, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, and John Updike's 1997 novel In the Beauty of the Lilies.<ref>Barnes, Julian. "Grand Illusion", The New York Times, January 28, 1996. Accessed May 3, 2012.</ref>
• The Poisoned Glass (2019) by Kimberly Tilley is the true story of the murder of 17-year-old immigrant Jennie Bosschieter in October 1900. (true crime/non-fiction/American history). Jennie worked in the silk mills of Paterson. She was given absinthe spiked with a lethal amount of a date rape drug by four prominent citizens, who were later the defendants in a sensational murder trial in 1901.

Films

• The controversial arrest and conviction of boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, whose conviction was overturned in 1985, was dramatized in the 1999 Denzel Washington film, The Hurricane, and was partially shot in the city.<ref name="Reuters" /> The lyrics of the Bob Dylan song "Hurricane" include "In Paterson that's just the way things go / If you're Black you might as well not show / Up on the street / Unless you want to draw the heat". The film Lean on Me, while sensationalized, is based on events that occurred in Paterson's Eastside High School.<ref name="LeanOnMe" /> Alice, Sweet Alice (1976) with Brooke Shields was filmed entirely in Paterson, the director's hometown,<ref>The Terror Trap: Alice Sweet Alice</ref> as was State Property.<ref>DeLuca, Dan. "No payoff in 'State Property' A street thug aims to hit it big. The movie misses". The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 19, 2002. Accessed August 16, 2012. "The setting is meant to be Philadelphia, but save for one quick shot of City Hall, State Property never looks the slightest bit familiar. Perhaps that's because it was shot in Paterson, N.J. (According to Abbott's production notes, efforts to film in town were thwarted because 'we could not afford to house everyone in Philly or commute from NYC,' where the Roc-A-Fella posse is headquartered.)"</ref> Its sequel, State Property 2, and Far from Heaven, The Preacher's Wife<ref>Staudter, Thomas. "How Main Street Cafe Got in the Movies", The New York Times, May 26, 1996. Accessed August 16, 2012. "In addition to the Chelsea Pier television and film production studios in Manhattan, other chief locales for The Preacher's Wife include Yonkers, Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, N.J., and Portland, Me."</ref> and Purple Rose of Cairo<ref>Staff. "Banner Year For N.J. Film Industry Production Companies Spent $15.4 Million In '84", The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 3, 1985. Accessed August 16, 2012. "The Purple Rose of Cairo, Woody Allen's sixth New Jersey film, using sites in Mount Arlington, South Amboy and Paterson."</ref> are among other films that were partially shot in Paterson. The city was also a filming location for the 1995 drama film, New Jersey Drive, which is primarily based on Newark's automobile theft rate at the time, with the city being considered "the car theft capital of the world".Template:Citation needed
• The 2016 film Paterson, directed by Jim Jarmusch, is set in Paterson and was largely filmed there. The movie is about a bus driver named Paterson who writes poetry in his free time.<ref>Robey, Tim. "Adam Driver's Paterson will be treasured for years – review", The Daily Telegraph, November 24, 2016. Accessed December 6, 2016. "You've beheld Adam Driver as Kylo Ren; now meet Kylo Zen. In Jim Jarmusch's new film Paterson, he plays a guy called Paterson, who happens to live in Paterson, New Jersey, his birthplace, where he drives a bus (number 23) with his surname naturally emblazoned on it."</ref>

Comedy

Lou Costello often referred to his hometown of Paterson in his comedy routines with Bud Abbott. The plot of the June 28, 1945, episode of the Abbott & Costello radio show is about the City of Paterson inviting him back for "Lou Costello Day" to launch a new garbage scow.<ref>Episode: "Abbott & Costello – Return To Paterson", My Old Radio, broadcast June 28, 1945. Accessed August 16, 2012.</ref> Three Abbott and Costello films had their world premieres at the Fabian Theater in Paterson, which could accommodate a crowd of 3,000: One Night in the Tropics (1940), Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion and Jack and the Beanstalk (1952).<ref>Cichowski, John. "Costello: Playing in Jersey City", The Record, April 2, 2002. Accessed July 11, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Jack and the Beanstalk has special resonance. It is one of only three Abbott & Costello films to debut at the Silk City's Fabian Theater, a 3,000-seat movie venue that closed in the late 1980s. The other Paterson premieres were One Night in the Tropics (1940) and Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950)."</ref> Costello was honored with a larger-than-life statue in Federici Park in 1992.<ref>Pollak, Michael. "Paterson Prepares to Take 'Who's on First' to Its Heart", The New York Times, June 21, 1992. Accessed July 11, 2022. "A private group of Patersonians headed by Lou Duva, the boxing promoter, and backed by contributions from all over the country, has been polishing the steel gazebo and painting the bocci courts in Federici Park, a half-acre of green in the city's oldest factory district. At noon, they will unveil a bronze statue of Costello, 6 feet tall from shoes to derby hat. (Lou, who was about 6 inches shorter, would have liked that.) He is in a business suit and is holding a bat over his shoulder, as if performing his routine."</ref>

TV

The Great Falls were featured in the first season of the HBO crime drama The Sopranos, both in the pilot and in the episode Pax Soprana as the place where Junior Soprano's friend's grandson committed suicide after taking poor designer drugs; as a favor, Junior Soprano had Mikey Palmice and another individual toss the dealer, Rusty Irish, off the bridge over the falls.<ref>Nussbaum, Paul. "In gritty North Jersey, a national park-to-be Waterfall has a Sopranos tie.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 20, 2009. Accessed October 9, 2016. "In recent times, though, the biggest thing to hit the falls was an unlucky victim who got tossed off the footbridge in an episode of The Sopranos."</ref> Other locations throughout the city were used in the series, as much of the show was shot on location in North Jersey.

Music

The New Jersey–based band Suit of Lights pays tribute to Paterson in their song "Goodbye Silk City". The 1983 music video "Two Tribes" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood makes reference to Paterson in its opening sequence.<ref>YouTube – Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Two Tribes (1983)</ref>Template:Citation needed

Inventions

• The first marketable revolver was produced in Paterson by Samuel Colt starting in 1836, and was known as the Colt Paterson.<ref>Richard C. Rattenbury, "Colt Revolvers", Handbook of Texas Online, published by the Texas State Historical Association. Accessed November 14, 2011.</ref>
• The first steam-powered and first electric-powered model trains were both invented in Paterson. Eugene Beggs made the first steam-powered train in the city around 1871. Beggs' employee, Jehu Garlick, invented the first electric-powered model train that consisted of a tinplate toy locomotive with four aluminum wheels. A 2016 exhibit at the New Jersey State Museum titled "Toy World" highlighted the history of New Jersey's toy-making industry and prominently featured Paterson's contribution to the history of toys.<ref>Rahman, Jayed. "America’s first model trains, invented in Paterson, on display at New Jersey State Museum exhibit", Patwerson Times, October 29, 2016. Accessed December 1, 2022. "The first steam-powered and the first electric-powered model trains, both invented in Paterson, are on display in a new exhibit called 'Toy World' which highlights the history of New Jersey’s toy making industry at the New Jersey State Museum. Paterson is prominently featured in the exhibition for its contribution to New Jersey’s history of toy making."</ref>

Notable people

Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Paterson include: ( (B) denotes that the person was born in Paterson). Template:Div col

• Tom Acker (1930–2021), MLB pitcher who played for four seasons with the Cincinnati Reds<ref>Tom Acker #40, MLB.com. Accessed September 16, 2015.</ref>
• Jorge Acosta (born 1964), retired Colombian-born American soccer forward who earned 12 caps with the U.S. national team in 1991 and 1992<ref>Raskin, David A. "Soccer; Acosta Finds His Dreams Close to Home", The New York Times, June 13, 1988. Accessed September 16, 2015. "But Acosta, a Paterson resident, has found more than a team since returning from Long Island University. The 23-year-old has become the leading scorer in the newly formed American Soccer League and is the league's first young player to gain national attention."</ref>
• Jimmie Adams (1888–1933), silent-screen comedian and actor<ref>Balducci, Anthony. Lloyd Hamilton: Poor Boy Comedian of Silent Cinema, p. 60. McFarland & Company, 2009. Template:ISBN. Accessed October 8, 2018. "To fill these holes in his ranks, Lehrman hired Jimmie Adams, a slightly built comic from Paterson, New Jersey."</ref>
• Mike Adams (born 1981), pro football player for the Indianapolis Colts<ref>Mike Adams Template:Webarchive, Cleveland Browns. Accessed May 19, 2008.</ref><ref>Idec, Keith. "Browns enjoy playing for that other Ryan", The Record, November 14, 2010. Accessed September 4, 2011. "Paterson native Mike Adams couldn't help but laugh when he heard and read about the controversy Jets head coach Rex Ryan caused with his R-rated vocabulary during episodes of HBO's Hard Knocks this summer."</ref>
• Adeva (born 1960), house music and R&B vocalist<ref>Adeva, soulwalking.co.uk. Accessed March 13, 2012.</ref>
• Nelson Algren (1909–1981), author best known for his novel The Man with the Golden Arm<ref>Newirth, Mike. "Lost on Nelson Algren Avenue", The Baffler, No. 18, 2009. Accessed May 3, 2015. "In 1974, Esquire asked Algren to write an article on Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter, since made famous by Bob Dylan and Denzel Washington; back then, Carter was just another murderer, albeit one railroaded by police misconduct. Algren concluded that Carter and his co-defendant were innocent, and decided to move to Paterson, N.J., to write about them."</ref>
• Henry C. Allen (1872–1942), politician who represented New Jersey's 6th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives 1905–1907<ref>"Allen, Henry Crosby (1872–1942)", Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed May 3, 2015.</ref>
• Bruce Arians (born 1952), former head coach of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers<ref>Cannizzaro, Mark. "Carthon & Muir Receive Invites To Stay Aboard", New York Post, January 20, 2001. Accessed December 1, 2022. "One of the offensive coordinators who's believed to be at or near the top of Edwards' list is Colts' quarterbacks coach Bruce Arians, a Paterson, NJ, native who's had a close hand in the development of Peyton Manning."</ref>
• Jillian Armenante (born 1968), television and film actress, known for playing the role of Donna Kozlowski on Judging Amy (B)<ref>Kampfe, John. "Hail Caesar Chronicles Fictional Day in the Life of Jersey-born 'Fixer'", Jerseywood, February 12, 2016. Accessed October 8, 2018. "Mannix isn't the only Garden State connection in Hail Caesar. Jillian Armenante, who plays a 'script girl' in the film, was born in Paterson and grew up in Wyckoff."</ref>
• Gerald Ash (born 1942), electrical engineer at Bell Labs, whose research focused on routing problems (B)<ref>2001 Award Winners Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Inventors hall of Fame. Accessed May 3, 2015. "New Jersey native Gerald R. Ash, who was born in Paterson and lived for many years in West Long Branch, started working for AT&T Bell Laboratories in 1976 as a member of the technical staff."</ref>
• Sisto Averno (1925–2012), guard and linebacker who played in the NFL for the original Baltimore Colts (1950), the New York Yanks (1951), Dallas Texans (1952) and the Baltimore Colts (1953–1954)<ref>Kelly, Jacques. "Sisto J. Averno Sr., Colt player1950s Baltimore Colt guard who also played for New York and Dallas became a Luby and Fox Chevrolet salesman", The Baltimore Sun, March 29, 2012. Accessed April 10, 2024. "Born in Paterson, N.J., he was the son of Roberto Averno and Elvira Isabella Salerno. While a student at Paterson High School, he played football and was scouted by colleges."</ref>
• Vincent Baggetta (born 1944), actor best known for his title role in the 1978–79 television series, The Eddie Capra Mysteries<ref>Staff. "Capra won't throw any punches", Eugene Register-Guard, September 2, 1978. Accessed December 15, 2015. "The call went out for Shannons, and a jaunty Italian from New York by way of Paterson, N.J., one Vincent Baggetta, turns up."</ref>
• Samm Sinclair Baker (1909–1997), author/coauthor of many how-to and self-help books, most notably The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet which he coauthored with Dr. Herman Tarnower (B)<ref>Saxon, Wolfgang. "Samm Sinclair Baker, 87, Author Of Dozens of Self-Help Books", The New York Times, March 23, 1997. Accessed September 16, 2015. "He was born in Paterson, N.J., and was a 1929 economics graduate of the University of Pennsylvania."</ref>
• Nathan Barnert (1838–1927), businessman and politician; twice elected as the Mayor of Paterson<ref>Goldrich, Lois. "Barnerts return to Paterson; Reunion will introduce new generation to old city", Jewish Standard, September 28, 2017. Accessed August 11, 2019. "Interestingly, none of the Barnerts on Bill's email list are direct descendants of Nathan, the larger-than-life figure who came to the United States in 1849, a poor child from Prussia, and established a lucrative silk mill in Paterson. Nathan Barnert won two terms as Paterson's mayor, and he contributed much of his wealth to establish and support a wide range of charities."</ref>
• Lawrence Barrett (1838–1891), leading actor of the 19th century<ref>Staff. "Lawrence Barrett Dead; Pneumonia Fatal After An Illness Of Only Two Days. Swift Progress Of An Attack That At First Seemed Slight – Mrs. Barrett Present At The Last – The Story Of The Actor's Life.", The New York Times, March 21, 1891. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Lawrence Barrett. the son of Thomas Barrett, a poor Irish immigrant, was born at Paterson, N.J., April 4, 1838."</ref>
• Charles K. Barton (1886–1958), politician; served in the New Jersey Senate 1943–1948 (B)<ref>Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, 1951, p. 267. Accessed August 14, 2019. "Charles K. Barton, Paterson - Mr. Barton was born August 16, 1886, in Paterson."</ref>
• Charles D. Beckwith (1838–1921), represented New Jersey's 5th congressional district 1889–1891; mayor of Paterson 1885–1889<ref>Charles Dyer Beckwith profile, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed August 13, 2007.</ref>
• Candace Beinecke (born 1946/1947), Senior Partner of Hughes Hubbard & Reed, where in 1999 she became the first female head of a major New York firm<ref>Hoffman, Jan. "Public Lives; Charm at the Top: It Only Looks Easy, Folks", The New York Times, June 2, 1999. Accessed December 19, 2020. "She grew up in Paterson, N.J., where her father practiced law and her mother, who was known professionally in the 1940's as Tippie Taylor, a radio host (but privately as Sylvia Altschuler), encouraged her to be a lawyer."</ref>
• Alexander Berzin (born 1944), Buddhist scholar, translator and teacher focusing on the Tibetan tradition<ref>Fineman, Mark. "Dalai Lama's Disciples Gather for Peace Prayer: About 150,000 participate in ceremony with the Peace Prize winner.", Los Angeles Times, January 1, 1991. Accessed December 27, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Standing beside the stage where the Dalai Lama was, in his words, 'planting the seeds' for enlightenment and world peace, was a 46-year-old native of Paterson, N.J. Dr. Alexander Berzin, whose Harvard doctorate in Far Eastern languages 20 years ago led him' to the Dalai Lama's northern India headquarters-in-exile of Dharam-sala, has served as archivist and part-time translator for the Dalai Lama ever since".</ref>
• Jeffrey Bewkes (born 1952), CEO, President, and Chairman of the Board of Time Warner<ref>Staff. "12 to Watch: Jeffrey Bewkes", TVWeek, January 20, 2008. Accessed September 16, 2015. "Place of birth: Paterson, N.J."</ref>
• Jacob Bigeleisen (1919–2010), chemist who worked on the Manhattan Project on techniques to extract uranium-235 from uranium ore (B)<ref>Van Hook, Alexander Jacob Biegeleisen 1919–2010: Biographical Memoirs, National Academy of Sciences, 2014. Accessed April 12, 2021. "Jacob ('Jake') Bigeleisen was born in 1919 in Paterson, New Jersey, of immigrant parents."</ref>
• Chauncey Black (born 1968), singer with the vocal group Blackstreet<ref>Staff. "Backstreet Takes Music Higher", Contra Costa Times, August 8, 1997. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Heavy R&B group Blackstreet has reached 'Another Level' with its current album. Led by Chauncey 'Black' Hannibal and Teddy 'Street' Riley, Blackstreet, which performs at Saturday's KMEL Summer Jam at the Concord Pavilion, has expanded its stylistic range, tightened its vocal harmonies, and sought new audiences with its second album, 'Another Level.'... Weary of New York, the ace producer/musician moved his family to Virginia Beach about five years ago; Hannibal, from Paterson, NJ, followed."</ref>
• Glenn Borgmann (born 1950), former professional baseball catcher who played in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox (B)<ref>Glenn Borgmann, Baseball Almanac. Accessed February 8, 2021. "Born In: Paterson, New Jersey... High School: Eastside High School (Paterson, NJ)"</ref>
• Jennie Bosschieter (1882–1900), woman who was raped and murdered, as an early victim of the date rape drug chloral hydrate which caused her death<ref>Krajicek, David J. "Attacked by the Gang", New York Daily News, October 25, 2008. Accessed September 16, 2015. "On a mild October evening in 1900, a pretty teenager named Jennie Bosschieter walked to a drugstore from her home in Paterson, N.J., to fetch baby powder for an infant niece."</ref>
• Joseph Brain (born 1940), physiologist and environmental health researcher (B)<ref>Curriculum Vitae of Joseph David Brain, Template:Webarchive, ibrarian.com. Accessed December 27, 2023. "Name: Joseph David Brain; Birthdate: January 20, 1940; Place of Birth: Paterson, New Jersey"</ref>
• Bill Braun, auto racer<ref>Bill Braun, racing-reference.info. Accessed March 13, 2012.</ref>
• Pete Bremy (born 1952), rock bass player best known for his associations with Vanilla Fudge and Cactus (B)<ref>Limnios, Michael. "Pete Bremy: Integrate the Groove", Blues.gr, December 11, 2013. Accessed July 21, 2019. "Born in Paterson, New Jersey, Pete Bremy started singing about the age of 4."</ref>
• Gaetano Bresci (1869–1901), weaver and anarchist, assassinated Italian king Umberto I<ref>"Assassin's lot fell upon anarchist here; Gaetano Bresci, the King's Murderer, Lived in Paterson. Was in America six years his identity established, and his membership in an Italian Anarchistic Group in the New Jersey Town.", The New York Times, July 31, 1900. Accessed August 12, 2018. "He is Gaetano Bresci, who left Paterson, N.J., in May, and went directly from New York to Europe, having been delegated by an Anarchist group, it is believed, to assassinate the King".</ref>
• Johnny Briggs (born 1944), former Major League Baseball player<ref>Idec, Keith. "Tardy Mets might have had Paterson's Briggs", The Record, May 17, 2011. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Johnny Briggs' baseball career might've turned out very different if a Mets scout hadn't arrived late to his house one night in October 1962. Briggs, a former Eastside star, was eager to hear what the newest National League team had to offer. The Mets had just paid another amateur free agent, Ed Kranepool, $85,000 to sign, and the Paterson native was intrigued by the prospect of playing so close to his hometown."</ref>
• Mark Brown (born 1980), NFL linebacker who played for the New York Jets<ref>Picker, David. "Long Climb Pays Off for Jets' Linebacker", The New York Times, December 18, 2004. Accessed November 28, 2007. "Brown, a native of Paterson, N.J., stayed in the area and close to the phone."</ref>
• Edna Buchanan (born 1939), journalist and writer best known for her crime mystery novels<ref>Geeslin, Ned. "Edna Buchanan's Life Is No Day at the Beach—Her Calling Is Miami's Vice", People, January 18, 1988, Vol. 29 No. 2. Accessed September 16, 2015. "Showing no hint of burnout, Buchanan is as excited by an absorbing, grisly crime story today as she was growing up in Paterson, N.J. In those days she would buy all the New York tabloids and read them aloud to her Polish grandmother, who couldn't read English."</ref>
• Rubin "Hurricane" Carter (1937–2014), boxer whose triple murder conviction was later overturned, subject of the Bob Dylan song "Hurricane" and the movie The Hurricane<ref>Rubin "Hurricane" Carter Biography (1937-), The Biography Channel. Accessed September 4, 2011.</ref>
• Federico Castelluccio (born 1964), Italian-born actor, most known for portraying Furio Giunta on the HBO series The Sopranos<ref>"«I Sopranos? No agli stereotipi ma non facciamone un dramma» – Federico Castelluccio, il Furio Giunta della celebre serie tv, a Toronto per incontrare gli zii", Corriere Canadese, May 11, 2005.</ref>
• Frank Catania (born 1941), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from the 35th Legislative District 1990–1994 (B)<ref>Jacobs, Charles. "New Jersey Q & A: Frank Catania; A Watchdog for the Casino Industry", The New York Times, February 12, 1995. Accessed August 14, 2019. "Born: Nov. 17, 1941, in Paterson."</ref>
• Ersilia Cavedagni (1862–?), Italian-American anarcha-feminist activist, writer, and editor<ref>Guglielmo, Jennifer. Living the Revolution: Italian Women's Resistance and Radicalism in New York City, 1880–1945, p. 162. University of North Carolina Press, 2010. Template:ISBN. Accessed December 30, 2017. "Both Italian and American authorities became particularly concerned over Cravello's developing friendship with Ersilia Cavedagni, whom they considered a 'very dangerous anarchist.' of 'limited formal instruction but much audaciousness.'... Cavedagni arrived in Paterson just as Cravello was gaining media attention."</ref>
• Joe Clark (1938–2020), educator and former principal of Eastside High School, depicted by Morgan Freeman in the movie Lean on Me<ref name=LeanOnMe>Maslin, Janet. "Movie Review: Lean on Me", The New York Times, March 3, 1989. Accessed January 24, 2012. "And Morgan Freeman manages it in Lean on Me, in which he plays Joe Clark, the controversial high-school principal from Paterson, N.J."</ref>
• Stockton B. Colt (1863–1937), architect (B)
• Lou Costello (1906–1959), comedian, actor and producer and part of the comedy duo Abbott and Costello (B)<ref>Nash, Margo. "Memories Linger Of a 'Baaad Boy' From Paterson", The New York Times, March 24, 2002. Accessed December 6, 2016. "On April 5, 1952, Abbott and Costello came to Paterson for the premiere of their film Jack and the Beanstalk. Klieg lights pierced the sky around the Fabian Theater on Church Street, and fans turned out to see Lou Costello, the star from Paterson who never forgot where he came from."</ref>
• Pat Costello (1902–1990), actor, producer, stunt double and the brother of Lou Costello, who was the executive producer for The Abbott and Costello Show (B)<ref>"Pat Costello, 87, Brother of Late Comedian, Dies", Los Angeles Times, September 19, 1990. Accessed April 24, 2021. "Pat Costello, the brother of late comedian Lou Costello and a writer and producer of television's "Abbott & Costello Show," has died at his Encino home. He was 87.... Born Anthony S. Cristillo on Dec. 10, 1902, in Paterson, N. J., he served in the Navy during World War I."</ref>
• Christos M. Cotsakos (born 1948), former CEO of E*TRADE (B)<ref>"Trading on a great education wp's richard reiss has a conversation with E*TRADE ceo christos cotsakos" Template:Webarchive, WP: The Magazine of William Paterson University, Fall/Winter 1999. Accessed December 6, 2007. "Born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey, Cotsakos was a 1965 graduate of Eastside High School. He will tell you -- 'barely.'"</ref>
• Ernestina Cravello (1880–1942), Italian-American anarcha-feminist activist during the late 19th and early 20th centuries<ref>Zimmer, Kenyon. Immigrants against the State: Yiddish and Italian Anarchism in America, p. 66. Accessed December 28, 2017. "However, most of Paterson's anarchist women were like Ernestina Cravello, who before her emigration had a 'good reputation' and was not politically active but who became involved in the anarchist movement as a result of her two brothers' participation."</ref>
• Sunda Croonquist, comic and actress<ref>DeMasters, Karen. "Hearing the Laughter in Women's Lives", The New York Times, August 1, 1999. Accessed May 1, 2010. "Like Ms. Langan, Ms. Croonquist now lives in Manhattan, but she grew up in Paterson, where she attended Roman Catholic schools from first grade through college."</ref>
• Victor Cruz (born 1986), wide receiver for the NFL Super Bowl championship team, the New York Giants<ref>Pennington, Bill. "Catching On After a Last Chance; Giants' Cruz Defied Odds at UMass", The New York Times, February 4, 2012. Accessed August 5, 2014. "It was not the first bump in the road Cruz had endured. The son of Blanca Cruz and Michael Walker, a Paterson firefighter, Cruz lived in the city's downtrodden Fourth Ward."</ref>
• Joe Cunningham (1931–2021), former MLB first baseman and outfielder who played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox and Washington Senators (B)<ref>Joe Cunningham, Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed August 5, 2014.</ref>
• Joan Wadleigh Curran (born 1950), visual artist, painter and printmaker (B)<ref>Joan Wadleigh Curran, Pennsylvania Convention Center Art. Accessed February 15, 2023. "Place of Birth: Paterson, New Jersey"</ref>
• Frank Davenport (1912–1995), politician; Sheriff of Passaic County and served one term in the New Jersey Senate (B)<ref>Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, p. 212. E. J. Mullin, 1977. Accessed August 14, 2019. "Frank Davenport, Rep., Paterson Senator Davenport was born in Paterson March 19, 1912. He attended St. Joseph's High School in Paterson."</ref>
• Anthony Davis (born 1951), pianist and composer (B)<ref>Palmer, Robert. "Anthony Davis‐Explorer in Jazz Piano; Anthony Davis‐ Explorer in Jazz", The New York Times, December 2, 1979. Accessed July 21, 2019. "Though they come from opposite ends of the continent — Mr. Davis was born in Paterson, N.J., while the flutist James Newton is a Californian — the co‐leaders are well matched."</ref>
• Richard W. DeKorte (1936–1979), politician; member of the New Jersey General Assembly (B)<ref>Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, 1973, p. 428. J. A. Fitzgerald, 1973. Accessed August 14, 2019. "Richard W. De Korte (Rep., Franklin Lakes) - Assemblyman De Korte was born in Paterson, March 27, 1936."</ref>
• Andrew Derrom (1817–1892), military officer, inventor, civil engineer, and industrialist<ref>Nelson, William. History of Bergen and Passaic Counties, New Jersey: With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men, p. 144. Everts & Peck, 1882. Accessed December 9, 2016. "In November 1836 he came to Paterson, where he found employment under C.S. Van Wagoner to survey lay out and map the city."</ref>
• Bob DeVos (born 1946), jazz guitarist (B)<ref>Bob DeVos, Blues Leaf Records. Accessed July 21, 2019. "Bob DeVos was born Robert Wayne DeVos in Paterson, New Jersey."</ref>
• William L. Dill (1874–1952), jurist who served on the New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals; politician; Democratic nominee for Governor of New Jersey in 1928 and 1934<ref>"William L, Dill, Former Jurist, 77; Twice Democratic Candidate for Governor of Jersey Dies -- Served on High Court", The New York Times, January 16, 1952. Accessed August 14, 2019. "Paterson, N. J., Jan. 15 -- William Leslie Dill, a former lay judge on the New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals and unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Governor of New Jersey in 1928 and 1934, died last night of a heart ailment at his home, 328 Eighteenth Avenue."</ref>
• Larry Doby (1923–2003), Hall of Fame Major League Baseball player and manager who broke the color barrier in the American League<ref>"Paterson Is Making Move to Honor Doby", The New York Times, June 27, 1997. Accessed January 24, 2012. "Larry Doby was a four-sport star in high school in Paterson, N.J., before going on to break the color barrier in the American League 50 years ago, when he joined the Cleveland Indians."</ref>
• Eric Downing (born 1978), NFL player<ref>Teicher, Adam. "Chiefs report: Fake punt fools KC", Kansas City Star, November 12, 2001. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Rookie defensive tackle Eric Downing, who made his second consecutive start, is from Paterson, NJ, and attended Syracuse University."</ref>
• Henry Drucker (1942–2002), political scientist and university fund-raiser (B)<ref>"Dr Henry Drucker", Oxford Mail, November 19, 2002. Accessed August 31, 2023. "Dr. Drucker was born in Paterson, New Jersey, USA."</ref>
• Jacqueline Dubrovich (born 1994), Olympic foil fencer (B)<ref>Jackie Dubrovich, Team USA. Accessed July 22, 2019.</ref>
• Lou Duva (1922–2017), boxing trainer, manager, and promoter, member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame<ref>James, George. "In person; Slugging It Out All These Years", The New York Times, June 9, 2002. Accessed January 24, 2012. "Lou Duva grew up the second youngest of seven children in a working-class family in Paterson."</ref>
• Randy Edelman (born 1947), film and TV score composer (B)<ref>Randy Edelman, FilmReference.com. Accessed September 27, 2011.</ref>
• Barry Edelstein (born 1965), theatre director, author, and educator; Artistic Director of the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California (B)<ref>Launer, Pat. "New Face at the Old Globe", San Diego Jewish Journal, January 31, 2013. Accessed March 19, 2016. "Edelstein (pronounced EH-duhl-steen), was born in Paterson, N.J. He grew up in Fair Lawn, N.J., where he attended Fair Lawn High School and went on to graduate summa cum laude from Tufts University."</ref>
• W. Cary Edwards (1944–2010), politician; Attorney General of New Jersey 1986–1989 (B)<ref>via Associated Press. "On the Road With Cary Edwards", The New York Times, April 25, 1993. Accessed August 8, 2019. "Oakland, N.J. (AP) — W. Cary Edwards, who served more than 30 years in state government, including as attorney general, died Wednesday at his home here.... Mr. Edwards was born July 20, 1944, in Paterson, N.J., and raised in Fair Lawn."</ref>
• Eddie Einhorn (1936–2016), television executive, part-owner of the Chicago White Sox<ref>Cahillane, Kevin. "Worth nothing; White Sox Fans? Say It Ain't So", The New York Times, September 25, 2005. Accessed August 12, 2018. "Mr. Einhorn – who was born and raised in Paterson and lives in Alpine – is the flamboyant yin to the steely yang of the principal owner, Jerry Reinsdorf."</ref>
• Derrick Etienne (born 1996), professional soccer player for the New York Red Bulls<ref>Staff. "New York Red Bulls sign Brandon Allen, Derrick Etienne as Homegrown Players, now lead MLS with 7 HGPs", Major League Soccer, December 21, 2015. Accessed March 21, 2016. "Etienne, from Paterson, New Jersey, joined the Red Bulls academy as an Under-14 player and advanced through the developmental system."</ref>
• William W. Evans Jr. (1921–1999), politician who served as Mayor of Wyckoff and in the New Jersey General Assembly; candidate for the Republican nomination for president in 1968 (B)<ref>Fitzgerald's Legislative Manual, 1960, p. 378. Accessed November 13, 2017. "William W. Evans, Jr. (Rep., Wyckoff) William W. Evans, Jr., was born in Paterson, New Jersey, on May 6, 1921..... He is former Mayor of Wyckoff, New Jersey."</ref>
• George Feifer (1934–2019), journalist, novelist, and historian, known for his autobiographical novels chronicling life in the Soviet Union (B)<ref>Smith, Harrison. "George Feifer, journalist and author who chronicled the Soviet Union, dies at 85", The Washington Post, November 18, 2019. Accessed January 6, 2022. "George Feifer was born in Paterson, N.J., on Sept. 8, 1934, and raised in Manhattan."</ref>
• Laurie Fendrich (born 1948), artist, writer and educator best known for her geometric abstract paintings (B)<ref>Muchnic, Suzanne. "Laurie Fendrich - 'Thinking About Art'", Artillery, November 8, 2016. Accessed October 23, 2018. "Compressing all that in a brief profile is a challenge, but she helps by dismissing most of her early years. 'I don't have an interesting family story,' says Fendrich, 68, who was born in Paterson, New Jersey."</ref>
• John A. Ferraro (1946–2010), actor, academic, stage director, and television director<ref>Staff. "Passings: Dick Hoerner, John A. Ferraro", Los Angeles Times, December 15, 2010. Accessed October 8, 2018. "Ferraro was born April 5, 1946, in Paterson, N.J., and grew up in Wayne, N.J."</ref>
• Helene Fortunoff (1933–2021), businessperson who headed Fortunoff (B)<ref>Seelye, Katharine Q. "Helene Fortunoff, Who Built a Family Jewelry Empire, Dies at 88", The New York Times, November 12, 2021. Accessed January 31, 2023. "Helene Finke was born on March 2, 1933, in Paterson, N.J., and raised in Fair Lawn."</ref>
• J. John Fox (Template:Circa–1999), judge known for his central role in the founding of the University of Massachusetts Medical School (B)<ref>"Obituaries", The Standard-Times, October 6, 1999. Accessed October 10, 2017. "Fox was born in Paterson, N.J., and moved to Boston when he was young."</ref>
• Sidney Geist (1914–2005), artist who was known for his sculpture and his art criticism (B)<ref>Glueck, Grace. "Sidney Geist, 91, Sculptor and Writer, Dies",The New York Times, October 21, 2005. Accessed August 28, 2022. "Born on April 11, 1914, in Paterson, N.J., Mr. Geist grew up there and attended St. Stephen's College in Annandale, N.Y."</ref>
• Abe Gelbart (1911–1994), mathematician, founding dean of the Belfer Graduate School of Science at Yeshiva University, namesake of the International Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel<ref>Staff. A Community Of Scholars: The Institute for Advanced Study Faculty and Members 1930–1980 Template:Webarchive, p. 174. Institute for Advanced Study, 1980. Accessed November 20, 2015. "Gelbart, Abe 47–48 M Born 1911 Paterson, NJ."</ref>
• Allen Ginsberg (1926–1997), writer and Beat Generation poet<ref>Hampton, Wilborn. "Allen Ginsberg, Master Poet Of Beat Generation, Dies at 70", The New York Times, April 6, 1997. Accessed January 24, 2012. "Allen Ginsberg was born on June 3, 1926, in Newark and grew up in Paterson, N.J., the second son of Louis Ginsberg, a schoolteacher, and sometime poet, and the former Naomi Levy, a Russian emigree and fervent Marxist."</ref>
• Teresa Giudice (born 1972), reality show participant on The Real Housewives of New Jersey<ref>Bios: Teresa Giudice Template:Webarchive, Bravo. Accessed July 4, 2013. "She grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, where she met her husband of more than ten years, Joe."</ref>
• Abraham Godwin (1724–1777), captain of Marines USS Lady Washington in 1776<ref>Revolutionary War Sites in Paterson, New Jersey, Revolutionary War New Jersey. Accessed September 6, 2017. "In memory of Abraham Godwin. Pioneer of Paterson"</ref>
• Abraham Godwin (1763–1835), member of the New Jersey General Assembly 1802–1806<ref name=Stauffer/>
• Abraham Godwin Jr. (1791–1849), member of the New Jersey General Assembly 1821–1832Template:Citation needed
• Parke Godwin (1816–1904), journalist (B)<ref name=Stauffer>Stauffer, David McNeely. American Engravers Upon Copper and Steel: Biographical sketches, illustrated. Index to engravings described with check-list numbers and names of engravers and artists, p. 107. Grolier Club of the City of New York, 1907. Accessed September 6, 2017. "Godwin, Abraham – Born in what is now Paterson, N.J., July 16, 1763; died there Oct. 5, 1835; he was the son of Abraham Godwin and Phebe Cool.... He was the father of the late editor and author. Parke Godwin. who was born in Paterson, N.J., in 1816."</ref>
• Percy Goetschius (1853–1943), teacher of the theory of musical composition (B)<ref>Thompson, David M. A history of harmonic theory in the United States, p. 37. Kent State University Press, 1980. Template:ISBN. Accessed August 11, 2019. "Born in 1853 in Paterson, New Jersey, Percy Goetschius showed an early aptitude for music."</ref>
• Shotsie Gorman (born 1951), tattoo artist, painter, sculptor and poet (B)<ref>Allee, Rod. "The soul of an artist; Creativity helps Paterson native cope with wife's death", The Record, January 14, 2000. Accessed May 20, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Shotsie is an only child of 48 years. He grew up in Peterson's Brook Sloate housing project and in an apartment near it."</ref>
• Bill Haast (1910–2011), snake and venom specialist, director of Miami Serpentarium Laboratories (B)<ref>Rosenberg, Carol via The Miami Herald. "Bill Haast dies at 100; snakes were the charm for south Florida celebrity: At a Florida roadside attraction, Bill Haast extracted venom for paying customers. His wife says he survived 172 venomous snakebites and donated blood to 21 snakebite victims. 'I could become a poster boy for the benefits of venom,' he said.", Los Angeles Times, June 21, 2011. Accessed August 5, 2014. "Born William E. Haast on Dec. 30, 1910, in Paterson, N.J., he became a south Florida celebrity for surviving successive venomous snakebites."</ref>
• Alen Hadzic (born 1991), former épée fencer, banned for life for sexual misconduct (B)<ref>Alen Hadzic, Columbia Lions. Accessed July 9, 2023. "Alen Hadzic, b. November 15, 1991 in Paterson, N.J."</ref>
• Thomas Hagan (born Template:Circa), one of the men convicted for the assassination of Malcolm X<ref>Kihss, Peter. "Malcolm X Shot to Death at Rally Here: Three Other Negroes Wounded - One is Held in Killing", The New York Times, February 22, 1965. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Records of the Federal Bureau of Investigation showed that Hagan's real name is Talmadge Hayer, the police said this morning. He was booked as Thomas Hagan. The F.B.I. records showed that the suspect's address was 347 Marshall Street, Paterson, N.J."</ref>
• Joseph Haj, actor, eighth artistic director of the Guthrie Theater<ref>Baenen, Jeff. "Not your average Joe: Haj makes Guthrie directing debut", Associated Press, January 20, 2016. Accessed October 8, 2018. "'Our work needs to reflect the broadness of this nation,' said Haj, an Arab-American who was born to Palestinian immigrant parents in Paterson, New Jersey, and grew up in Miami."</ref>
• Alexander Hamilton (1755/57–1804), first United States Secretary of the Treasury; helped found the Society for the Establishment of Useful Manufactures (S.U.M.) that helped establish Paterson around the Great Falls<ref>Alexander Hamilton , Paterson Friends of the Great Falls. Accessed May 3, 2015.</ref>
• Keith Hamilton (born 1971), NFL defensive tackle who spent his entire 12-season career with the New York Giants<ref>Keith Hamilton, NFL.com. Accessed May 30, 2015.</ref>
• Larry Hand (born 1940), defensive end and defensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions 1965–1977 (B)<ref>Larry Hand, NJSports.com. Accessed November 18, 2017. "Larry Thomas Hand was born July 10, 1940 in Paterson and grew up in the nearby town of Butler. Larry was a late bloomer size-wise."</ref>
• The Happenings, pop music group created in the 1960s<ref>Hall, Debbie. "1960s group The Happenings return to the Suncoast Showroom in Las Vegas". AXS, October 18, 2014. Accessed January 14, 2017.</ref>
• Donald Hayden (1937–2014), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from the 35th Legislative District from 1994 to 1996, and on the Paterson city council (B)<ref>Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, 1995, p. 271. Accessed January 29, 2024. "Donald Hayden, Rep., Paterson - Assemblyman Hayden was born April 24, 1937, in Paterson, and attended parochial and public schools in the city."</ref>
• Gerald Hayes (born 1980), linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals<ref>Gerald Hayes player profile, National Football League Players Association. Accessed July 23, 2007. "resides in Paterson, New Jersey."</ref>
• Jon Herington (born 1954), guitarist, singer-songwriter, record producer, and session musician (B)<ref>Derrough, Leslie Michele. "Jon Herington – Steely Dan'S Lead Guitarist", Glide Magazine, June 24, 2013. Accessed August 11, 2019. "I was born in North Jersey in a town called Paterson but really grew up on the Jersey Shore in a town called West Long Branch, New Jersey."</ref>
• Ureli Corelli Hill (1802–1875), music conductor and founder of the New York Symphony Orchestra<ref>Blumenthal, Ralph."Philharmonic Gets Diary Of a Savvy Music Man", The New York Times, July 29, 2002. Accessed January 24, 2012. "Hill played violin with the orchestra until he was over 70, then fell into poverty and depression. In 1875, living in Paterson, N.J., he wrote a farewell note to his second wife: 'Why should or how can a man exist and be powerless to earn means for his family?'"</ref>
• Garret A. Hobart (1844–1899), Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly, President of the New Jersey Senate and the 24th Vice President of the United States, serving under President William McKinley<ref>Staff. "Garret A. Hobart: The Vice-President Dies of Angina Pectoris Funeral To Be Held At Paterson Saturday The End Come Yesterday Morning—President Mckinley Issues a Proclamation — Arrangements for the Funeral Mr. Hobart's Career", Hartford Courant, November 22, 1899. Accessed December 27, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Paterson, N. J., Nov. 21. – Garret A. Hobart, vice-president of the United States, died of angina pectoris at 8:30 o'clock this morning at his home in this city."</ref>
• Kendall Holt (born 1981), light welterweight boxer who held the WBO junior welterweight championship 2008–09<ref>Silversey, Dylon. "Paterson's Holt gets back into title picture with knockout victory", NJ.com, May 14, 2011. Accessed December 13, 2013. "Former NABO & WBO champion and Paterson native Kendall 'Rated R' Holt returned to his previously highly regarded form on Friday night, knocking out the former champion Julio Diaz (38–7 27KO), in the main event on ESPN's Friday Night Fights."</ref>
• Michael Hossack (1946–2012), drummer, member of the Doobie Brothers<ref>via Associated Press. "Paterson native Michael Hossack, drummer for Doobie Brothers, dies", The Record, March 13, 2012. Accessed March 13, 2012.</ref>
• William Hughes (1872–1918), lawyer and politician who represented New Jersey's sixth congressional district (from 1903 to 1905 and 1907 to 1912) and served as United States Senator from New Jersey (from 1913 to 1918)<ref>"Senator Hughes, Long Ill, Is Dead", The New York Times, January 31, 1918. Accessed August 31, 2023. "United States Senator William Hughes of Paterson died here today at 10:15 A. M., at a hospital where he had been confined for many weeks suffering from septic poisoning resulting from an infection of the teeth, followed by bronchial pneumonia."</ref>
• Michael Jace (born 1962), actor who appeared in The Shield<ref>Hyman, Vicki. "'The Shield' actor, Paterson native Michael Jace accused of murdering wife", The Star-Ledger, May 20, 2014. Accessed August 5, 2014. "Actor Michael Jace, a Paterson native best known for playing a moral Los Angeles police officer in a corrupt unit on FX's trailblazing "The Shield," has been arrested in Los Angeles for alleging shooting his wife to death Monday night, the Los Angeles Times reports."</ref>
• Ameer Jackson (born 1994), American professional basketball player (B)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Charlie Jamieson (1893–1969), Major League Baseball player<ref>Charlie Jamieson, Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed December 14, 2008.</ref>
• Henry Janowitz (1915–2008), Professor Emeritus of Gastroenterology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, known for his contributions into inflammatory bowel diseases (B)<ref>Kirsner, Joseph B. "Friedenwald Presentation to Henry David Janowitz, M.D.", Gastroenterology, Vol. 87, No. 4. Template:ISSN. Accessed August 29, 2019. "Henry David Janowitz was born March 23, 1915, in Paterson, New Jersey."</ref>
• Morris Janowitz (1919–1988), sociologist and professor who made major contributions to sociological theory, the study of prejudice, urban issues and patriotism (B)<ref>Heise, Kenan. "U. of C. Sociology Prof Morris Janowitz, 69", Chicago Tribune, November 8, 1988. Accessed October 18, 2020. "A native of Paterson, N.J., Mr. Janowitz received his bachelor's degree from Washington Square College, part of New York University."</ref>
• Charles Samuel Joelson (1916–1999), lawyer and politician who served on the Paterson City Council and as the Representative for New Jersey's 8th congressional district 1961–1969<ref>Saxon, Wolfgang. "Charles S. Joelson, 83, Congressman Who Saved School Libraries", The New York Times, August 21, 1999. Accessed December 3, 2017. "A native of Paterson, Charles Joelson graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1937 from Cornell University, where he also received his law degree in 1939. He practiced law in Paterson until 1961, with time out for service as an ensign in the Navy's intelligence service in the Far East during World War II. He served on the Paterson City Council in the early 1950s and then as a 'racket-busting' Deputy Attorney General of New Jersey."</ref>
• Devhonte Johnson, Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor and coach (B)<ref>Devhonte Johnson, BJJ Heroes. Accessed April 23, 2023. "Devhonte Johnson was born in Paterson, New Jersey, United States of America, being raised in one of the most crime-afflicted areas of Passaic County called the 4th ward, on a street named Godwin Avenue.."</ref>
• Jemal Johnson (born 1985), former professional soccer player, most known for his spell with English League One side MK Dons (B)<ref>Ubha, Ravi. "Johnson finds a home with the M.K. Dons" Template:Webarchive, ESPNsoccernet, April 17, 2008. Accessed December 14, 2008. "Johnson was born in Paterson, N.J., moved to England when he was 5, and can also compete for Jamaica, given his mother's background."</ref>
• Maxine Jones (born 1966), singer, member of En Vogue<ref>Berkman, Meredith. "Funky Divas: En Vogue rise to the top – In just two years the group has sold more than two million records", Entertainment Weekly, June 5, 1992. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Maxine Jones, 26. File: The self-described 'moody' member of the group. Bio: Originally from Paterson, NJ, she was 5 when her mother died."</ref>
• Ron Cephas Jones (born 1957), actor known for This is Us, Mr. Robot and Across The Universe<ref>"How hit show This Is Us is connected to NJ — NO spoilers, scout's honor!", WKXW, February 23, 2017. Accessed February 17, 2018. "First, the cast includes New Jersey native, Ron Cephas Jones. The Paterson native who plays William (Randall's biological dad) graduated John F. Kennedy High School and then attended Ramapo College in Mahwah. Jones also has had recent roles in Mr. Robot & Luke Cage."</ref>
• Just Blaze (born 1978), hip hop music producer<ref>Staff. "In Pictures: Red Bull Music Academy at Harlem Cafe in Belfast", Belfast Telegraph, March 5, 2012. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Joining Kerri was legendary hip hop producer Just Blaze aka Justin Smith from Paterson, NJ. The CEO of Fort Knocks Entertainment is best known for producing hits from Jay-Z's Blueprint, Blueprint 2, and The Black Album."</ref>
• Alfred E. Kahn (1917–2010), economist and deregulation advocate<ref>Hershey Jr., Robert D. "Alfred E. Kahn Dies at 93; Prime Mover of Airline Deregulation", The New York Times, December 28, 2010. Accessed January 14, 2013. "Alfred Edward Kahn, known as Fred, was born on Oct. 17, 1917, in Paterson, N. J., the son of Russian immigrants, and came of age during the Depression, which prompted his interest in economics."</ref>
• Carla A. Katz (born 1959), labor leader who served as president of Local 1034 of the Communications Workers of America 1999–2008<ref>Adams, Cindy. "Jon'S Ex Tells All", New York Post, June 6, 2007. Accessed August 11, 2019. "'Look, I'm from Paterson. My father was a factory worker. I thought rich meant having a fence in front of your house.'"</ref>
• Joseph Keller (1923–2016), mathematician who specialized in applied mathematics (B)<ref>Roberts, Sam. "Joseph B. Keller, Mathematician With Whimsical Curiosity, Dies at 93", The New York Times, September 16, 2016. Accessed September 19, 2016. "Joseph Bishop Keller was born in Paterson, N.J., on July 31, 1923. His father, Isaac Keiles — whose name, he said, was changed when he arrived in the United States — was a Russian refugee who fled pogroms against Jews.... Joseph Keller competed on the math team at East Side High School in Paterson."</ref>
• King Kelly (1857–1894), Major League Baseball player and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame<ref>Gordon, Peter M. King Kelly, Society for American Baseball Research. Accessed August 20, 2014. "Kelly told the story of what happened next in his autobiography, Play Ball, Stories of the Ball Field: 'Ill health compelled my father to leave the army, and we moved to Paterson, N.J.'"</ref><ref>Staff. "'King' Kelly Dies Of Pneumonia.; The Famous Player's Record on the Baseball Field.", The New York Times, November 9, 1894. Accessed August 12, 2018. "'King' Kelly, as he was dubbed by the occupants of the at baseball games, was born at Troy, N. Y., but when young was taken to Paterson, N. J., where he learned to play baseball."</ref>
• Bernard Kerik (born 1955), former New York City Police Commissioner<ref>James, Randy. "2-Min. Bio: Bernard Kerik", Time November 6, 2009. Accessed May 1, 2010. "Born Sept. 4, 1955, in Newark, N.J., 'Bernie' grew up in a tough neighborhood of Paterson, N.J., a suburb of New York City."</ref>
• Joseph Kipley (1848–1904), Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department 1897–1901 (B)<ref>Flinn, John Joseph; and Wilkie, John Elbert. History of the Chicago Police: From the Settlement of the Community to the Present Time, Under Authority of the Mayor and Superintendent of the Force, p. 489. Police book fund, 1887. Accessed November 12, 2018. "Joseph Kipley, lieutenant in charge of the Thirty-fifth street district, was born in Paterson, New Jersey, on November 24, 1848, and came to Chicago on July 3, 1865."</ref>
• Gabriel Kolko (1932–2014), historian, author (B)<ref>Stromberg, Joseph. Gabriel Kolko Revisited, Part 1: Kolko at Home, September 1, 2013. Accessed May 20, 2014. "Born in 1932 in Paterson, NJ, historian Gabriel Kolko..."</ref>
• Garret Kramer, author and performance coach (B)<ref>"The Path of No Resistance with Garret Kramer" Template:Webarchive, DrKevinPecca.com, October 30, 2017. Accessed December 3, 2017. "[Q] Garret, where are you from? [A] I was born in Paterson, New Jersey. I grew up in Clifton, New Jersey. I was into playing hockey, pretty much that's what I was into."</ref>
• Vincent R. Kramer (1918–2001), United States Marine Corps colonel who was a guerrilla warfare expert and was awarded the Navy Cross during the Korean War (B)<ref>"Col. Vincent Kramer, decorated Marine veteran", New Jersey Hills, October 11, 2001. Accessed June 29, 2020. "Vincent R. Kramer, 83, of the Basking Ridge section of Bernards Township, died on Monday, Sept. 17, 2001, at Morris Hills Multicare Center in Morristown. Born in Paterson, he attended the Bordentown Military Institute and Rutgers College under football scholarships."</ref>
• Peter Kreeft (born 1937), philosopher at Boston College and The King's College and author of numerous popular books of Christian philosophy, theology, and apologetics (B)<ref>Kreeft, Peter, Library of Congress. Accessed December 27, 2023. "Birth Place Paterson (N.J.)"</ref>
• Sally Kornbluth (born 1960), cell biologist and academic administrator, serving as the 18th president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (B)<ref>Bradt, Steve. "Sally Kornbluth is named MIT’s 18th president", The Jewish Journal, October 27, 2022. Accessed February 26, 2025. "Born in Paterson, N.J., Kornbluth grew up in nearby Fair Lawn."</ref>
• Jim Lampley (born 1960), professional basketball center who played for the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1986–87 season<ref>D'Alesaandro, Dave. "Passaic Tech alumnus stars; Lampley: Little Rock's rock", The Record, February 20, 1983. Accessed May 3, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Lampley, who had transferred from Vanderbilt, gave them a lot to talk about. The Paterson native averaged 15 points and seven rebounds as a junior to lead the Trojans to a 19-8 record and the Trans America Athletic Conference regular-season title last season."</ref>
• Sue Ane Langdon (born 1936), actress (B)<ref>Robinson, Dale; and Fernandes, David. The Definitive Andy Griffith Show Reference: Episode-by-Episode, with Cast and Production Biographies and a Guide to Collectibles, p. 115. McFarland & Company, 2012. Template:ISBN. Accessed July 21, 2019. "Sue Ane Langdon portrays Mary Simpson in this episode. Langdon was born in Paterson, New Jersey."</ref>
• Frank Lautenberg (1924–2013), politician who represented New Jersey in the United States Senate (B)<ref>Senator Lautenberg's Biography Template:Webarchive, United States Senate. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Senator Lautenberg was born in Paterson, New Jersey, the son of Polish and Russian immigrants who came to the United States through Ellis Island. His early life was unsettled as his parents moved about a dozen times while struggling to support the family."</ref>
• Jaynee LaVecchia (born 1954), Justice who has served on the New Jersey Supreme Court since 2000 (B)<ref>Fitzgerald's Legislative Manual, State of New Jersey, 2000, p. 517. E. J. Mullin, 2000. Accessed September 18, 2019. "Justice LaVecchia was born in Paterson on October 6, 1954."</ref>
• John L. Leal (1858–1914), physician and water utility sanitary adviser; responsible for the installation of the first drinking water chlorine disinfection system in the United States<ref>Leal, John L. (1909). "The Sterilization Plant of the Jersey City Water Supply Company at Boonton, N.J." Proceedings American Water Works Association. pp. 100–9.</ref>
• Walt Levinsky (1929–1999), big band and orchestral player, composer, arranger, and bandleader<ref>Holden, Stephen. "Pop/Jazz; A Musician Follows His Idol", The New York Times, August 14, 1987. Accessed August 11, 2019. "Five nights a week, Mr. Levinsky leads a hand-picked ensemble of 14 alumni from Benny Goodman's big band in classic arrangements created over three decades. To top it off, he gets to play many of the Goodman clarinet solos he learned by heart when he was a child growing up in Paterson, N.J."</ref>
• Son Lewis (born 1951), blues singer and guitarist (B)<ref>Limnios, Michael. "Son Lewis: Silky Soul Bluesman", Blues Network, February 22, 2013. Accessed August 11, 2019. "Son (born Andrew Lewis, December 11, 1951, Paterson, New Jersey) was influenced greatly by artists such as Robert Johnson, Otis Rush, and Hubert Sumlin (who he had the pleasure of accompanying in December 2006)."</ref>
• John LoCascio (born 1991), defenseman for the Rochester Rattlers in Major League Lacrosse<ref>John LoCascio Template:Webarchive, Villanova Wildcats men's lacrosse. Accessed May 27, 2016. "Hometown: Fairfield, N.J.; High School: West Essex Regional... Born November 25, 1991 in Paterson, N.J.</ref>
• David P. Long (born 1975), academic administrator, professor and Roman Catholic canonist (B)<ref>"David P. Long", Academia.edu. Accessed July 13, 2024. "Born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey, Long now resides in Maryland with his wife and two young sons. He is an expert in the teaching office of the Catholic Church, the writings of John Henry Newman, doctrinal development, and papal infallibility."</ref>
• Adrienne Mancia (1927–2022), curator best known for her work with the Museum of Modern Art and the Brooklyn Academy of Music<ref>Genzlinger, Neil. "Adrienne Mancia, Influential Film Curator, Dies at 95", The New York Times, December 17, 2022. Accessed December 17, 2022. "Adrienne Mancia, who scoured the world for significant films and brought them to New York as a longtime curator at the Museum of Modern Art and later at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, died on Sunday in Teaneck, N.J.... She grew up in Paterson, N.J., and graduated from Eastside High School in 1944 after skipping a few grades."</ref>
• Don Martin (1931–2000), cartoonist for Mad magazine<ref>Woo, Elaine. "Obituaries; Don Martin; Cartoonist Exemplified Mad Magazine in Sight and Sound", Los Angeles Times, January 8, 2000. Accessed December 27, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Born in Paterson, N.J., Martin showed an early talent for drawing."</ref>
• Edward L. Masry (1932–2005), attorney whose firm was behind the case featured in Erin Brockovich (B)<ref>Martin, Douglas. "Edward L. Masry, 73, Pugnacious Lawyer, Dies", The New York Times, December 8, 2005. Accessed December 8, 2007. "Edward L. Masry was born in Paterson, N.J., on July 29, 1932. His parents started a silk apparel business, but when silk import tariffs were lifted, the business faltered. The family then headed for California."</ref>
• Frank Mattiace (born 1961), former professional football nose tackle and coach (B)<ref>Frank Mattiaca, Pro-Football-Reference.com. Accessed September 15, 2024. "Born: January 20, 1961 in Paterson, NJ (Age: 63-239d)... High School: Montville (NJ)"</ref>
• Markis McDuffie (born 1997), professional basketball player for Napoli Basket of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A<ref>Rowe, John. "Markis McDuffie, who grew up in Paterson, leads Wichita State into NIT semifinals", The Record, April 2, 2019. Accessed December 26, 2021. "Markis McDuffie lives in Paterson and went to high school in Jersey City."</ref>
• Thomas McEwan Jr. (1854–1926), represented New Jersey's 7th congressional district from 1895 to 1899<ref>Thomas McEwan Jr., Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed August 11, 2007.</ref>
• Edward McNamara (1884–1944), Broadway and Hollywood actor who was discovered while working as a police officer in Paterson (B)<ref>Jones, Ken D.; McClure, Arthur F.; Womey, Alfred E. Character People, p. 135. A. S. Barnes, 1976. Template:ISBN. Accessed October 8, 2018. "Edward McNamara 1887-1944 Edward McNamara was born in Paterson, New Jersey. He became a policeman in that city, but he had a voice with lots of promise and was sent to the School of Music at the University of Michigan...."</ref>
• Verna Mersereau (1896–1935), dancer and actress who performed on stage and screen (B)<ref>"Verna .M. Capra, Famed Actress, Dies In Weimar", The Sacramento Union, September 27, 1935. Accessed September 18, 2024, via Newspapers.com. "Verna Mersereau Capra, 40, Sacramentan and internationally known actress who retired two years ago because of ill health, died yesterday in Weimar sanitarium where she had been confined since March.... She was born in Paterson, N. J."</ref>
• George Middleton (1880–1967), playwright (B)<ref>via Associated Press. "George Middleton A Playwright, 87; Former Head of Dramatists' Guild, 87, Is Dead", The New York Times, December 24, 1967. March 13, 2012. "Mr. Middleton was born in Paterson, N.J., on Oct. 27, 1880."</ref>
• Gemar Mills, author and speaker, who was the youngest ever principal of Malcolm X Shabazz High School when he took the job at age 27<ref>Malinconico, Joe. "‘Turnaround Principal’ returns to open Paterson charter school", Paterson Press, August 8, 2017. Accessed December 2, 2024. "Gemar Mills comes from the type of background that usually poses challenges for city educators.... She raised him and his sisters as a single parent in Paterson’s notorious Christopher Columbus housing projects."</ref>
• Susan Misner (born 1971), actress who has appeared on films and television, including roles in One Life to Live, The Bronx Is Burning, Rescue Me and Chicago<ref>Susan Misner, Playbill. Accessed October 8, 2018. "Born: Feb 8, 1971 In Paterson, NJ, USA"</ref>
• Joe Mooney (1911–1975), jazz and pop accordionist, organist, and vocalist, who went blind at the age of 10<ref>Teachout, Terry. "Pop/Jazz; Too Cool to Cash In, Favorite of the Few", The New York Times, December 21, 1997. Accessed August 11, 2019. "Time was when famous musicians spoke with awe of Joe Mooney, the blind jazz singer and accordionist from Paterson, N.J., who died in 1975. Frank Sinatra, not a man to toss around superlatives casually, called him 'the best.'"</ref>
• Paul H. Mussen (1922–2000), developmental psychologist who described stages of child psychological development (B)<ref>Saxon, Wolfgang. "P. Mussen, 78; Wrote Texts On Psychology", The New York Times, July 16, 2000. Accessed November 14, 2020. "Paul Mussen was born in Paterson, N.J., and graduated in 1942 from Stanford University, where he received an M.A. degree in 1943."</ref>
• Greg Olsen (born 1985), former tight end for the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, and Seattle Seahawks (B)<ref>Greg Olsen, Pro-Football-Reference.com. Accessed August 28, 2019. "Born: March 11, 1985 (Age: 34-170d) in Paterson, NJ"</ref>
• Kenny Parker (born 1946), former American football defensive back who played in the NFL for the New York Giants (B)<ref>Kenny Parker, Pro-Football-Reference.com. Accessed May 27, 2020. "Born: July 22, 1946 (Age: 73-310d) in Paterson, NJ... High School: Eastside (NJ)"</ref>
• Vincent N. Parrillo, professor of sociology at William Paterson University<ref>Parrillo, Vincent N. Diversity in America, p. 15. Pine Forge Press, 2009. Template:ISBN. Accessed August 28, 2019. "We lived on the northern edge of Paterson in a neighborhood that straddled a tight-knit Dutch community on one side and a mixed second-generation German / Italian / Polish neighborhood on the other."</ref>
• Patricia Peardon (1923/24-1993), actress who originated the title role in the Broadway play Junior Miss (B)<ref>Schwartz, S. Bolton. "Paterson-Born Patricia Peardon Star of Broadway's Newest Hit", Herald News, December 4, 1941. Accessed February 7, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Although most of her life was spent in Allendale, Miss Peardon is a Paterson girl. She was born at St.Joseph's Hospital fifteen years ago when the family home was at 96 Trenton Avenue."</ref>
• Simon Perchik (1923–2022), poet<ref>Simon Perchik, Asheville Poetry Review. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Simon Perchik was born in Paterson, New Jersey in 1923 and made his living as an attorney in New York."</ref>
• Joseph D. Pistone (born 1939), FBI agent and author who infiltrated the Bonanno crime family, as described in the film Donnie Brasco<ref>Span, Paula. "The FBI's Veiled Threat: Joseph Pistone Spent Six Years Inside the Mafia and Lived to Tell the Tale", The Washington Post, February 28, 1997. Accessed March 13, 2012. "And Pistone had always seen himself as a good guy. He grew up in working-class Paterson, N.J., which proved helpful in his subsequent career."</ref>
• Robert Pitofsky (1929–2018), lawyer and politician who was the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission from 1995 to 2001 (B)<ref>Kang, Cecilia. "Robert Pitofsky, Champion of Consumer Protection, Dies at 88", The New York Times, October 11, 2018. Accessed April 15, 2021. "Robert Pitofsky was born in Paterson, N.J., on Dec. 27, 1929, to Morris and Sadye Pitofsky. His father fixed textile looms, and his mother sold dresses."</ref>
• Bucky Pizzarelli (1926–2020), jazz guitarist<ref>Staff. "Jazz notes: Roseanna Vitro in New Brunswick; Bucky Pizzarelli in Madison; Michele Rosewoman in Montclair", The Star-Ledger, January 10, 2012. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Guitarist and Paterson native Bucky Pizzarelli turned 86 yesterday, and fans and friends will gather several times this month to celebrate his timeless, bright, and swinging style."</ref><ref name=Pizzarelli>Ripmaster, Terence. Mel Bay presents Bucky Pizzarelli: a life in music, p. 31. Mel Bay Publications, 1998. Template:ISBN. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Even with his busy and successful career, Bucky never forgot his roots in Paterson. His sons, John and Martin, are still listed in Paterson's #248 American Federation of Musicians Directory."</ref>
• John Pizzarelli (born 1960), jazz guitarist and singer<ref name=Pizzarelli/><ref>Wilkins, Tim. "Jazz bits: John Pizzarelli and Grover Kemble", The Star-Ledger, September 27, 2011. Accessed March 13, 2012. "In the '80s, John Pizzarelli was a guitar-toting kid from Paterson and Grover Kemble was a wisecracking Jersey songsmith with stints in Sha Na Na and Za Zu Zaz under his belt."</ref>
• Martin Pizzarelli (born 1963), jazz double-bassist<ref name=Pizzarelli/>
• David Prater (1937–1988), of the soul duo Sam & Dave<ref>via Associated Press. "Dave Prater, 50, Dies; Soul Singer of the 60's", The New York Times, April 13, 1988. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Dave Prater Sr., of the soul-singing duo Sam and Dave, was killed Saturday when the car he was driving went off Interstate 75 near Sycamore, Ga., and hit a tree. He was 50 years old. Mr. Prater had lived in Paterson since 1974 and his body will be returned to New Jersey for burial next week, his widow, Rosemary, said Monday."</ref>
• Amos H. Radcliffe (1870–1950), Mayor of Paterson, New Jersey, 1916–1919; represented New Jersey's 7th congressional district 1919–1923<ref>Amos Henry Radcliffe, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed July 23, 2007.</ref>
• Prince Randian (1871–1934), sideshow performer<ref>Kaltenbach, Chris. "The four pillars of Hollywood's house of horrors; Critical Eye", The Baltimore Sun, October 30, 2005. Accessed December 27, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "...the 'human worm', Prince Randian lived in Paterson, NJ, with his wife and five children..."</ref>
• Zoogz Rift (1953–2011), musician, painter and professional wrestling personality (B)<ref>"Passings; Zoogz Rift", Los Angeles Times, March 31, 2011. Accessed August 11, 2019. "Rift was born Robert Pawlikowski on July 10, 1953, in Paterson, N.J., but grew up in Parsippany, N.J."</ref>
• Lori L. Robinson, United States Army major general serving as the 80th Commandant of the United States Military Academy<ref>Major General Lori L. Robinson, United States Military Academy. Accessed January 25, 2024. "Major General Lori L. Robinson is a native of Paterson, New Jersey and received her commission from the United States Military Academy in 1994."</ref>
• Sarah-Nicole Robles (born 1991), actress and voice actress, best known for providing the voice of Luz Noceda in the Disney Channel animated series The Owl House<ref>Cotter, Kelly-Jane via Asbury Park Press. "'Until high school, I was a hardcore misfit,' says Jersey Girl now on Disney Channel", The Record, February 4, 2020. Accessed May 18, 2022. "Robles lived in Paterson until she was 8, then grew up in Fair Lawn, attending Catholic and magnet schools."</ref>
• George Rochberg (1918–2005), classical composer (B)<ref>Staff. "George Rochberg, Composer, Dies at 86", The New York Times, June 1, 2005. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Mr. Rochberg was born in Paterson, N.J., on July 5, 1918."</ref>
• Frederick Reines (1918–1998), Nobel Prize-winning physicist who co-discovered the neutrino<ref>Frederick Reines: The Nobel Prize in Physics 1995 – Autobiography, Nobel Prize Organization. Accessed April 5, 2007.</ref>
• Frankie Ruiz (1958–1998), salsa music singer (B)<ref>Dominguez, Robert; with Hinckley, David. "Frankie Ruiz, Salsa Singer, Dead At 40", New York Daily News, August 11, 1998. Accessed November 14, 2011. "Born in Paterson, N.J., Ruiz spent his childhood in Puerto Rico and was singing professionally with Orquesta La Solucion by the time he was a teenager."</ref>
• John Ryle (1817–1887), industrialist and capitalist; known as the "father of the United States silk industry", starting the first silk mill in 1839<ref>Staff. "He Died In England.; Career Of John Ryle, The Paterson Silk Manufacturer.", The New York Times, November 17, 1887. Accessed March 13, 2012. "John Ryle, formerly Mayor of Paterson, N.J., and known throughout the United States as the 'Father of the Silk Industry in America,' has just died in Macclesfield, England."</ref>
• Mary Danforth Ryle (1833–1904), philanthropist who donated millions to various city institutions, notably the Danforth Memorial Library<ref>Danforth Public Library, Paterson Arts Council. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Paterson adopted a free library law in 1885 and opened the first public library in the State of New Jersey in 1886. By 1888, having outgrown the Stimson House on Church Street, Mary Danforth Ryle donated her father's residence for a new library."</ref>
• Kathryn Salfelder (born 1987), classical composer (B)<ref>The ASCAP Foundation Announces Recipients of 2012 Morton Gould Young Composer Awards, ASCAP, April 6, 2012. Accessed August 5, 2014. "Kathryn Salfelder of Fairlawn, NJ (Paterson, NJ)"</ref>
• Nicholas Samra (born 1944), eparch of the Melkite Catholic Eparchy of Newton in the United States, elected in 2011 (B)<ref>Bishop Nicholas Samra Template:Webarchive, St. John the Baptist Melkite Catholic Church. Accessed July 21, 2019. "Born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey, seminary educated in Massachusetts, Bishop Nicholas Samra was ordained a priest in 1970."</ref>
• Kathryn Scola (1891-1982) screenwriter known for the pre-code film Baby Face (1933), and the adaptation of the Dashiell Hammett novel The Glass Key (1935).<ref>Palumbo, Ron. The Universal Filmscript Series: Abbott and Costello: One Night in the Tropics. Bear Manor Media. 2024.</ref>
• Dave Scott (born 1953), former American football offensive lineman who played in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons<ref>Dave Scott, NJSports.com. Accessed September 10, 2024. "Arthur David Scott was born December 26, 1953 in Hackensack and grew up in Paterson."</ref>
• Louis Scott (1889–1954), gold medal winner at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm<ref>Staff. "Paterson's Olympic Day.; Jersey Town Welcomes Her Athletes Who Completed at Stockholm.", The New York Times, August 1, 1912. Accessed April 13, 2013. "The Paterson 'boys,' Strobino, Scott, Hellawell, and Mueller, who competed for Uncle Sam at the Olympic games in Sweden, and who returned to this country on the Vaderland early this morning, got a rousing reception in this city later in the day, when a parade through the principal streets of Paterson was held in their honor."</ref>
• Omar Sheika (born 1977), former professional boxer and multiple time super middleweight world title challenger<ref>Idec, Keith. "Sheika: Winning a belt means the world to me", Herald News, September 3, 2005. Accessed March 20, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Paterson native and West Paterson resident Omar Sheika will challenge World Boxing Council super middleweight champion Markus Beyer tonight at the ICC in Berlin."</ref>
• Marcel Shipp (born 1978), running back for the Arizona Cardinals<ref>Marcel Shipp player profile, National Football League Players Association. Accessed July 24, 2007. "Hometown: Paterson, N.J. Played one year of prep football at Milford (Conn.) Academy and was all-New Jersey choice as a senior at Passaic County Technical High School."</ref>
• Rocco Silano (born 1962), magician and author<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Dave Sime (1936–2016), Olympic medal-winning sprinter<ref>Roberts, Jeff. "Intriguing People: Dave Sime", The Record, April 25, 2010. Accessed June 25, 2013. "This was the moment that changed everything for the Paterson-born, Fair Lawn-bred Sime."</ref>
• Jack Wilkinson Smith (1873–1949), painter (B)<ref>Art in Embassies: Jack Williamson Smith, United States Department of State. Accessed July 11, 2020. "Jack Wilkinson Smith was born in Paterson, NJ on Feb. 7, 1873."</ref>
• John Spencer (1946–2005), actor, best known for his role as Leo McGarry, the White House Chief of Staff on the television drama The West Wing<ref>Staff. "West Wing's Leo dies at age of 58: John Spencer displays his Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in 2002Spencer was a familiar face on US television showsJohn Spencer, the actor who plays politician Leo McGarry in NBC television's The West Wing, has died of a heart attack at 58.", BBC News, December 17, 2005. Accessed March 13, 2012. "John Spencer grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, the son of working-class parents, and he studied at the Professional Children's School in Manhattan."</ref>
• John A. Spizziri (born 1934), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1972 to 1978 (B)<ref>Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, 1977, p. 255. E. J. Mullin, 1977. Accessed July 18, 2019. "John A. Spizziri, Rep., Franklin Lakes - Assemblyman Spizziri was born in Paterson Sept. 2, 1934. He was first elected to the Wyckoff Township Committee in 1966, and served as road commissioner."</ref>
• Bill Stern (1926 –2021), botanist (B)<ref>Stern, William Louis (1926-), JSTOR. Accessed November 10, 2021. "U.S. botanist specialising in wood and orchid anatomy. Bill Stern (as he was known) was born and grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, where he concentrated on agricultural subjects in his later years at school."</ref>
• Sol Stetin (1910–2005), labor union leader<ref>Greenhouse, Steven. "Sol Stetin, 95, Labor Leader Who Unionized J. P. Stevens, Dies", The New York Times, May 24, 2005. Accessed February 1, 2023. "Sol Stetin was born on April 2, 1910, in Pabianice, in what is now Poland, near Lodz, that country's silk manufacturing center. When he was 10, his family immigrated, settling in Paterson."</ref>
• Lewis Atterbury Stimson (1844–1917), surgeon who was the first to perform a public operation in the United States using Joseph Lister's antiseptic technique (B)<ref>The Lewis Stimson, MD (1844–1917) Papers, Weill Cornell Library. Accessed December 22, 2017. "Lewis Atterbury Stimson was born August 24, 1844, in Paterson, New Jersey, the second son of Henry Clark and Julia Atterbury Stimson. He was educated in the Paterson schools and at Yale College from which he graduated in 1863."</ref>
• J. Michael Straczynski (born 1954), science-fiction writer, creator and writer for Babylon 5 (B)<ref>Amy, Jeanne. "'Babylon 5' creator speaks about failure, future of media at MIT", The Observer-Dispatch, May 25, 2009. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Straczynski comes from Paterson, N.J., where people grew up to work at gas stations and supermarkets, not to become writers, he said. He pushed himself as those around him told him he could never make it as a writer."</ref><ref>Gustines, George Gene. "'Tired of Running': A Sci-Fi Veteran Tells His Own (Earthling) Story In Becoming Superman,; J. Michael Straczynski chronicles a life that was dominated early on by dysfunction and later by success that came with its own tensions.", The New York Times, July 20, 2019. Accessed July 21, 2019. "The context that he describes in his book is upsetting. Straczynski was born in Paterson, N.J., but his family moved frequently (21 times in 19 years)."</ref>
• Jesse Talbot (1805–1879) Hudson River School painter, Associate Member of the National Academy of Design, and friend to Walt Whitman. Talbot lived in Paterson in the late 1840s and painted some of his major works there<ref>Routhier, Jessica Skwire. "Fellow Journeyers Walt Whitman and Jesse Talbot: Painting, Poetry, and Puffery in 1850s New York, p. 13 in Walt Whitman Quarterly Review, Volume 38, Number 1. Accessed September 16, 2020. "In 1844 Talbot moved to Paterson, New Jersey, an industrial town about twenty miles outside of Manhattan, situated on the falls of the Passaic River."</ref>
• Kazbek Tambi (born 1961), Seton Hall University women's soccer team head coach and retired U.S. soccer midfielder; member of the U.S. Olympic soccer team at the 1984 Summer Olympics; spent two seasons in the North American Soccer League, four in the Major Indoor Soccer League and one in the American Soccer League; former United States U-17 women's soccer team coach<ref>Kazbek Tambi, Seton Hall Pirates. Accessed May 30, 2015. "A native of Paterson, N.J., he earned his law degree from Seton Hall University Law School in 1990."</ref>
• Albert Tangora (1903–1978), holder of the speed record for typing on a manual typewriter<ref>Staff. "Typists to Demonstrate Speed", The New York Times, October 7, 1928. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Albert Tangora of Paterson, N. J, and Irma Wright of Toronto, Canada, new professional and amateur typing champions, will give demonstrations at the National Business Show which opens in Madison Square Garden..."</ref>
• Joe Taub (1929–2017), businessman who joined his brother Henry Taub and Frank Lautenberg in building the payroll company Automatic Data Processing; later was part of an investment group that acquired the New Jersey Nets (B)<ref>Sandomir, Richard. "Joe Taub, Basketball Fan Who Became Part Owner of the Nets, Dies at 88", The New York Times, November 5, 2017. Accessed November 20, 2017. "Joseph Albert Taub was born in Paterson, N.J., on May 29, 1929.... Mr. Taub played forward on the basketball team at Eastside High School, in Paterson, and attended Rutgers University but did not graduate."</ref>
• Tim Thomas (born 1977), NBA basketball player<ref>Popper, Steve. "Pro Basketball; Marbury and Tim Thomas Connect in Victory", The New York Times, March 4, 2004. Accessed September 4, 2011. "One would like to believe that the play had been rehearsed on playgrounds and in gyms when they were younger. Stephon Marbury and Tim Thomas, one from Brooklyn, the other from Paterson, N.J., grew up playing together on all-star teams and in tournaments."</ref><ref>NBA.com: Tim Thomas Bio Page Template:Webarchive. Accessed June 30, 2010. "Hails from Paterson, New Jersey."</ref>
• Dante Tomaselli (born 1969), horror film screenwriter, director, and composer (B)<ref>Lancifer, Unkle. "Dante Tomaselli :: The Kindertrauma Interview", Kindertrauma, February 14, 2011. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Unforgettable. I grew up on Alice, Sweet Alice... originally titled Communion. It made its world premiere in 1976 in Paterson. All my relatives were there. Many were extras in the movie. My Aunt Matilda stands out in the funeral scene. Both of my grandmothers were from Paterson and I was born in Paterson General Hospital."</ref>
• Robert Torricelli (born 1951), politician, former representative of New Jersey in the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives (B)<ref>Robert Guy Torricelli, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Torricelli, Robert Guy, a Representative and a Senator from New Jersey; born in Paterson, N.J., August 27, 1951"</ref>
• Sammy Turner (born 1950), singer who was popular in the late 1950s (B)<ref>Sammy Turner, Black Cat Rockabilly. Accessed August 11, 2019. "Born into a musical and religious family, Sammy Turner sang in the church choir in his hometown of Paterson, NJ, from an early age."</ref>
• Gregory Van Maanen (born 1937), artist<ref>"John Michael Kohler Arts Center presents Gregory Van Maanen: A World We Cannot See - Through painting, Vietnam vet created a diary of pain and healing" Template:Webarchive, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, August 8, 2016. Accessed November 5, 2018. "In 2007, Van Maanen decided to move on from the Paterson, New Jersey, apartment that had sheltered him for nearly a quarter-century."</ref>
• Ed Van Put (1936–2024), fisherman, author and conservationist (B)<ref>Roberts, Sam. "Ed Van Put, Who Hooked Jimmy Carter on the Catskills, Dies at 88", The New York Times, January 8, 2025. Accessed January 13, 2025. "Edward George Van Put was born on May 28, 1936, in Paterson, N.J."</ref>
• Elizabeth Vargas (born 1962), ABC news anchor (B)<ref>Quintanilla, Michael. "enfoque; Elizabeth Vargas", San Antonio Express-News, January 26, 2006. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Vargas, a woman in a field with so few Latinos, was born in Paterson, N.J., to a Puerto Rican U.S. Army captain and his Irish American wife."</ref>
• Bruce Vilanch (born 1948), six-time Emmy Award-winning comedy writer, actor and songwriter<ref>Rohan, Virginia. "Former Paterson resident is man behind the lines at the Oscars", The Record, March 7, 2010. Accessed December 31, 2012. "And Bruce Vilanch will jump right on it. 'The only really spontaneous parts of the show are the winners. Everything else is scripted. And so, unless somebody else goes off script, we know what everybody else is saying,' says Vilanch, a former Patersonian, who has written for the Oscars for the past 21 years."</ref><ref>Weber, Bruce. "Theater Review; A Human Pez Dispenser Of Jokes and One-Liners", The New York Times, May 16, 2000. Accessed October 8, 2018. "Mr. Vilanch's show is organized along vaguely autobiographical lines. Against a backdrop of pastel-colored T-shirts pinned to the wall, many of them in children's sizes -- Michael Jackson's laundry, he explains -- he speaks about growing up as an ungainly boy in Paterson, N.J.; doing some modeling (for Lane Bryant) and acting; and his early career as a journalist in Chicago, where he met Ms. Midler 30 years ago while writing about her nightclub show."</ref><ref>Kunath, Kate. "Bruce Vilanch Interview", OutWords, April 5, 2017. Accessed July 11, 2022. "Bruce Vilanch was born in 1948 in New York City, and raised by his adoptive parents Jonas and Henne in Paterson, New Jersey."</ref>
• "Uncle" Floyd Vivino (born 1951), comic and star of Uncle Floyd Show, the longest-running broadcast and cable TV show in New Jersey; appeared in film Good Morning, Vietnam<ref>Floyd Vivino profile from Sirius Satellite Radio. Accessed December 20, 2006.</ref>
• Jerry Vivino (born 1954), musician (B)<ref>Hermann, Andy. "Jerry Vivino Coast To Coast", DownBeat, November 2018. Accessed August 11, 2019. "Most people don't think of Paterson, New Jersey, as a great jazz town, but maybe they should. Native son Jerry Vivino certainly makes a case for it by teaming with fellow Patersonians Bucky and Martin Pizzarelli, who provide many of the highlights on the veteran reedsman's fifth solo album."</ref>
• Jimmy Vivino (born 1955), musician, guitarist, member of The Max Weinberg 7<ref>La Gorce, Tammy. "New Brunswick Still Loves the Lads From Liverpool ", The New York Times, August 12, 2007. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Local boosterism could also be at work. 'Two of the guys are from Jersey,' Mr. Korin said, including Mr. Vivino, a Paterson native whose brother Floyd Vivino is better known to state residents as TV's 'Uncle Floyd.'"</ref>
• Fetty Wap (born 1991), rapper and singer<ref>Staff. "The Break Presents: Fetty Wap", XXL, November 18, 2014. Accessed March 3, 2015. "However, it's definitely been a minute since the last Jersey MC popped off. Now, 24-year-old Paterson, NJ native Fetty Wap is trying to put the state back on the map with his buzzing record, Trap Queen."</ref>
• William Wadsworth Evans (1887–1972), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1919 to 1924 (B)<ref>"William Evans Sr., Ex-Assemblyman", The News, November 14, 1972. Accessed April 6, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "William Wadsworth Evans Sr., a Paterson attorney who served as Speaker of the New Jersey Assembly in 1920's died Monday, at the Ann-Dell Nursing Home, Wayne, after a long illness.... Born in Paterson, Mr. Evans earned his way through law school by playing the organ in St. Mark's Church, New York."</ref>
• Carter Warren (born 1999), American football offensive tackle who played for the New York Jets<ref>Carter Warren, Pitt Panthers football. Accessed May 3, 2023."Hometown: Paterson, NJ; High School: Passaic Tech"</ref>
• Darryl Watkins (born 1984), professional basketball player who played collegiately at Syracuse<ref>Staff. "Watkins will play more, McNeil less as SU center", Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, January 22, 2004. Accessed December 27, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "The 6–11 Watkins is a highly promoted center from Paterson, N.J., where he averaged 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 blocks last season to help Paterson Catholic to a 22–5 record."</ref>
• Patrick Warburton (born 1964), actor, best known for his roles in Seinfeld and Family Guy (B)<ref>Yannis, Alex. "Hockey; The Devils, And Fans, Ignite First Match", The New York Times, October 8, 1995. Accessed January 27, 2012. "Moments after the banner was raised, Patrick Warburton, the actor who portrayed a fanatic Devils' fan in a segment of the Seinfeld television show, was called upon to drop the puck. With his face painted in Devils red and black, the native of nearby Paterson dropped the puck, then stripped the Brodeur jersey he was wearing to display the letter D on his chest."</ref>
• Bernie Wayne (1919–1993), composer best known for "Blue Velvet"<ref>Staff. Different tune for Miss America", The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 8, 2013. Accessed August 5, 2014. "Bernie Wayne, who grew up in Paterson, was a prolific composer and came up with the "There She Is" while getting a haircut in 1954."</ref>
• Joseph Weber (1919–2000), physicist who gave the earliest public lecture on the principles behind the laser and the maser and developed Weber bars, the first gravitational wave detectors (B)<ref>Staff. A Community Of Scholars: The Institute for Advanced Study Faculty and Members 1930–1980 Template:Webarchive, p. 429. Institute for Advanced Study, 1980. Accessed November 22, 2015. "Weber, Joseph 55f, 62–63, 69–70 M(NS), Physics Born 1919 Paterson, NJ."</ref>
• Carl Weinrich (1904–1991), classical organist known for his recitals and recordings of Baroque organ music (B)<ref>Randel, Don Michael, "Weinrich, Carl", The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music, Harvard University Press, 1996, p. 975. Template:ISBN.</ref>
• Bert Wheeler (1895–1968), of the comedy duo Wheeler & Woolsey<ref>Staff. "Bert Wheeler, Vaudeville Comic With Rubbery Face, Dead at 72; His Over 50-Year Career in Show Business Spanned Films, the Follies and TV", The New York Times, January 19, 1968. Accessed March 13, 2012. "'I'll tell you a secret,' he said when he was 64 years old. 'I'm just as ambitious and stage-struck as when I was a kid in Paterson, New Jersey. Nothing has changed.'"</ref>
• Alice White (1904–1983), film actress<ref>Devine, Elizabeth; and Turner, Roland. The Annual Obituary 1983, p. 91. St. James, 1983. Accessed October 8, 2018. "Alice White - Film Actress Born Paterson, New Jersey, USA, August 28th, 1907 Died Hollywood Hills, California, USA. February 19th, 1983"</ref>
• K'Waun Williams (born 1991), cornerback who has played in the NFK for the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos<ref>Reed, Tom. "K'Waun Williams could become integral member of burgeoning Browns' secondary, provided he stays healthy", The Plain Dealer, June 3, 2015. Accessed August 12, 2015. ""'You have to play with a chip on your shoulder,' said the Paterson, New Jersey native who grew up on the same street as Giants receiver Victor Cruz."</ref>
• William Carlos Williams (1883–1963), important modern 20th-century poet; author of the poem "Paterson"<ref>William Carlos Williams, Poets.org. Accessed August 5, 2014.</ref>
• Donald R. Yennie (1924–1993). theoretical physicist (B)<ref>Donald R. Yennie March 4, 1924 — April 14, 1993, Cornell University. Accessed February 20, 2024. "Don was born in Paterson, New Jersey in 1924."</ref>
• Jerry Zaks (born 1946), stage and television director and actor<ref>Hyman, Vicki. 'Why a kid from Paterson is telling A Bronx Tale on Broadway", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 4, 2016. Accessed October 8, 2018. "Jerry Zaks is slumped on a banquette in a rear lounge of the Longacre Theatre, two weeks before the Dec. 1 opening curtain for the new musical A Bronx Tale.... 'This is the most intense moment just before we freeze the show,' sighs the 70-year-old Paterson native, his shock of white hair standing on end as he scrolls up and down through his production notes on an iPad."</ref>
• Giuseppe Zangara (1900–1933), assassin of Chicago mayor Anton Cermak, though President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt may have been his intended target<ref>Oliver, Willard M.; and Marion, Nancy E. Killing the President: Assassinations, Attempts, and Rumored Attempts on U.S. Commanders-in-chief, p. 90. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Template:ISBN. Accessed July 22, 2015. "Giuseppe Zangara was born in Ferruzzano, Calabria, Italy. In the United States, Zangara settled in Paterson, New Jersey, and on September 11, 1929, became a naturalized citizen."</ref>
• Herb Zarrow (1925–2008), magician who created the Zarrow shuffle (B)<ref>Yedid, Meir. "Herb Zarrow: Shuffling Through A Magical Life", The Linking Ring, 2001, republished at Magic Times, April 25, 2001. Accessed May 22, 2003."Born on November 4, 1925 in Paterson, New Jersey, like many future magicians, Herb Zarrow became interested in magic through magic sets and magic books."</ref>
• Paul Zukerberg (born 1957), lawyer, activist and politician (B)<ref>Suderman, Alan. "The Weed Candidate", Washington City Paper, March 6, 2013. Accessed August 6, 2014. "The son of a self-taught musician who was a big wheel on the bar mitzvah and Jewish wedding circuit in Paterson, N.J., Zukerberg moved to D.C. 30 years ago to go to law school at American University."</ref>

See also

• 1913 Paterson silk strike
• 1902 Paterson silk strike
• 1835 Paterson textile strike

External links

• City of Paterson, New Jersey (official site)
• centercitypaterson.com
• Paterson, New Jersey: America's Silk City, a National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan
• Working in Paterson: Occupational Heritage in an Urban Setting An ethnographic study from the Library of Congress. Oral history interviews and photographs from a study of working life in Paterson conducted in 1994. Accessed August 28, 2009.