Press Release
For Immediate Release Contact Person: Don Latham
April 23, 2026 Phone: (609) 345-2269, ext. 3112
Library names facility after former board president
The late William K. Cheatham left an indelible mark on the Atlantic City Free Public
Library – and now his name has a permanent place at the library.
The library’s facility at 1 North Tennessee Ave. has officially been named the William K.
Cheatham Building. Library and city officials, family and friends remembered Cheatham
at a special ceremony April 22 revealing a new sign that bears his name. The sign is
located above the public entrance on the Tennessee Avenue side of the building.
Extremely active in the community and an advocate for Atlantic City, Cheatham was
appointed to the Library Board of Trustees in 2005. He became the board’s president in
2008 and held that position until his death in 2021.
“Mr. Cheatham played an important role in shaping this library and the community it
serves,” Library Director Jacqueline Silver-Morillo said. “It’s a privilege to carry forward
his legacy in a building dedicated to him.”
During Cheatham’s time as board president, the library experienced tremendous growth
and many accomplishments that have benefitted the Atlantic City community:
? Built and opened the new Richmond Branch Library
? Opened the Atlantic City Experience at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, and the
Learning Center for Computer Literacy, Education and Career Advancement,
Teen Space and Makerspace at the Main Library
- Assumed operation of the Atlantic City Historical Museum at Garden Pier
- Introduced Career Connections, Communications Skills for the 21st Century,
- Fresh Start @ Your Library and Fade to Books programs
- Offered new events such as the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Read-in, International
- Night Concert Series and Third Thursday Concert Series while seeing long-running programs such as English as a Second Language (ESL) and the Summer
- Reading Program grow in popularity
His daughter Gail Cheatham Merrell was one of the ceremony’s guest speakers.
“I thank you for this great honor on behalf of my father, William K. Cheatham, and the
Cheatham family,” she said. “I’m sure, as mentioned before, my father is smiling today
because this (library) was something he loved so much. This was the one position, one
organization that he spoke about continuously.”
In addition to his work as the Library’s Board of Trustees president, Cheatham served
many other organizations, including Big Brothers Association, United Way of Atlantic
County and Atlantic County Board of Public Transportation, Municipal Utilities
Authority Board and Atlantic City Shade Tree Committee.
The City of Atlantic City recognized him in 2019 for his dedication to the city by
officially designating the corner of Atlantic and Maryland avenues “William K.
Cheatham’s Block.” He lived on the block for more than 50 years.
“You know you made it when you get a street named after you, but it’s definitely another
level when you get a building named after you – a building that he loved so much,”
Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. said during the ceremony. “He always talked about
the Atlantic City Library being a jewel.”
