Thomas Gangemi, Sr. (July 29, 1903 – December 1, 1976) was the 35th mayorofJersey City, New Jersey. Elected in 1961, the Italian-born Gangemi was forced to resign from office less than two years later when it was discovered that he had never become a United States citizen.[1] Following his resignation, Jersey City was without a mayor for 47 days while the city council failed to reach a consensus on a successor.[2]
Gangemi became a naturalized citizen on September 2, 1964.[3] He filed petitions to run for mayor again in 1965, but was refused by the City Clerk and New Jersey Superior Court[4] before being allowed on the ballot (see Gangemi v. Rosengard 207 A.2d 665 (N.J. 1965)).[5] While history focuses on Gangemi's untimely resignation, he was a visionary who reimagined the Jersey City waterfront and downtown as locales of tremendous economic growth.[citation needed]
Gangemi was married to Carrie Gangemi (née Romano) and had three children, Thomas Jr., Anthony, and Marie. The eldest, Thomas Jr. also ran for mayor of Jersey City in 1973, but lost to incumbent Paul T. Jordan.[6]
^"Mayor Gangemi Quits In Jersey. Resigns After U.S. Declares He is Not a Citizen", The New York Times, p. 1, September 26, 1963
^Haff, Joseph (November 13, 1963). "Mayor is Named by Jersey City. Whelan Replaces Gangemi After 47-Day Delay; Jersey City's Council Appoints New Mayor After 47-Day Delay 3-Way Tie". The New York Times. p. 1.
^"Ex-Mayor Gangemi To Gain Citizenship In Jersey Tuesday", The New York Times, p. 23, August 29, 1964
^"Gangemi Is Barred From Ballot In Jersey City Contest for Mayor", The New York Times, p. 37, December 17, 1964
^Waggoner, Walter (February 27, 1965), "Court Clears Way for Gangemi To Run for Jersey City Mayor; ' Discriminatory' Terms of Faulkner Act Struck Down in Ruling", The New York Times, p. 52
