Arthur John Holland

Who was Arthur John Holland?

Arthur John Holland was Mayor of Trenton, New Jersey and president of the United States Conference of Mayors.

He was born in Trenton, New Jersey. 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 reelection to Republican Carmen J. Armenti, and served as a teacher at Rutgers University for four years. In 1970 he ran for mayor again, and was reelected.