Arthur John Holland

An “open door” was the hallmark of Arthur J. Holland’s administration, meaning that any member of the public or press could sit in on any government meeting. He served the City of Trenton honestly and ably for 26 years. Suffering from urban decay, industrial plant closings, and suburban flight, Trenton needed a strong, enthusiastic mayor. He sought funds to revitalize blighted areas and attracted new money to build office buildings and roadways. He and his family lived in one of the city’s most troubled neighborhoods. While on the faculty at Rutgers’ Urban Studies Center, he helped develop the “New Jersey Future Issues” seminar. While president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors from 1988–89, he spoke coast to coast on the importance of freeing America’s cities from drugs, and improving mass transit, housing, and job training. In 1989, Rutgers created the Arthur J. Holland Program on Ethics in Government for students to intern with local governments, study in small seminars with the faculty, attend lectures by visiting professors, and help develop civics education programs for urban schools. Holland died in 1989.