12/8/25

Thanksgiving in Newark’s Ironbound, 1980: A Portuguese-American Holiday Throwback

Step back into Newark’s Ironbound in 1980 — a neighborhood where Thanksgiving blended American tradition with unmistakable Portuguese flavor. From families buying last-minute ingredients on Ferry Street, to the smell of garlic, bacalhau, and roasting chestnuts drifting from rowhomes and bakeries, the Ironbound turned the holiday into something truly its own.