I’m so old I remember the Newark Philip Roth described, when the Weequahic High area was heavily Jewish, and the Roth nerds lusted after the Hillside cheerleaders. Although, by the I got to HS the whites were moving out and the black area was expanding over Lyons Avenue. The 60s.
I remember the riots during the 60’s in Newark. Not living very far away in Edison/Metuchen area. The National Guard had to be called in. A friend of my sister had to spend a couple nights with us while her street was like a war zone.