Arthur John Holland

Arthur John Holland (October 24, 1918 – November 9, 1989) was Mayor of Trenton, New Jersey and president of the United States Conference of Mayors.

Biography

He was born in Trenton, New Jersey on October 24, 1918.

He was raised Roman Catholic and considered becoming a priest early in life. Although he studied for the priesthood, he opted against this path and instead attended Saint Francis College and, after graduation, earned an advanced degree from Rutgers University.

In 1951 Holland became deputy director of public affairs for Trenton, and in 1955 he was elected as a Democrat to Trenton's City Council. He became Mayor of Trenton, New Jersey in 1959, and soon after married his wife Betty. In 1964 he publicly moved into the Mill Hill neighborhood of Trenton, a majority black neighborhood, attempting to lead the way in his city's racial integration. Holland received national attention for the move, much of it negative, but the area thereafter became less racially segregated.

In 1966, Holland lost the Democratic Primary to Carmen J. Armenti, and served as a teacher at Rutgers University for four years. In 1970 he ran for mayor again, and was reelected. He was president of the United States Conference of Mayors from 1988 to 1989, and remained mayor of Trenton until he died.

He died of cancer at St. Francis Medical Center (Trenton, New Jersey) on November 9, 1989.