MONMOUTH COUNTY – Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon has announced that Rick Geffkenis is the winner of the 2023 Jane G. Clayton Award.
Geffkenis will receive the award at the County Clerk’s 28th Annual Archives and History Day on October 28 at the Robert J. Collins Arena at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft.
“Through his research, presentations, and publications on Monmouth County history, Rick Geffken has made a significant contribution to the study and understanding of our county’s history,” Hanlon said.
Geffkenis has been a resident of Monmouth County since 1963 and is a veteran of the Vietnam War. Before focusing his efforts on the study of local history, he and had a successful career in the computer industry.
Officials said Geffkenis has made countless presentations on a wide variety of subjects including slavery, African-American history, Shrewsbury history, and the history of the Morris family.
Geffkenis has authored or co-authored several books including “The Story of Shrewsbury, Revisited, 1965-2015;” “Highland Beach, 1888-1962: Gateway to the Jersey Shore,” “Lost Amusement Parks of the North Jersey Shore,” “Hidden History of Monmouth County, New Jersey,” and “Stories of Slavery in New Jersey.”
In addition, Geffkenis was instrumental in the development of the North East Slavery Records Index (NESRI), a searchable compilation of records that identifies individual enslaved persons and their owners.
Named for the former County Clerk who established the Monmouth County Archives, the Jane G. Clayton Award has been given annually since 1997 to someone who has made a major contribution to the preservation and knowledge of Monmouth County history.
This year’s Archives and History Day will be held on October 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Brookdale Community College and is organized by Clerk Hanlon and the Monmouth County Clerk’s Archives Division. The 2023 Archives exhibit, which will be on display at Archives and History Day, is titled “Business and Industry in Monmouth County.”
In addition to awards presentations, many local and state historical societies, museums, and archives will be on hand to discuss the mission and activities of their organizations. All are welcome to attend this free event.
“Archives and History Day is a great opportunity for those interested in history to interact with local history-related organizations and learn more about our County’s history through the Archives exhibit and through this year’s keynote speaker William M. Gorman of Monmouth University,” Monmouth County Archivist Julia Telonidis said.
For more information about Archives and History Day, visit the Monmouth County Clerk’s Archives Division website at MonmouthCountyClerk.com/Archives or contact the Monmouth County Archives at 732-308-3771, ext. 3772 or ArchivesResearch@co.monmouth.nj.us.
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