History

The Cycle Kings motorcycle club was founded around 1972 by Johnnie Stokes. Johnnie Stokes was associating with a few other motorcycle clubs, when he noticed that the clubs in the area were not progressing. There were several black motorcycle clubs in Trenton area around that time. There were the Wheels of Fire, the Afro Shields, The Professionals, City Cruisers, Cycle Crusiers, Garden State Shifters.

There has been four motorcycle clubs at the Calhoun St. location since 1948. They were Trenton Devil Dogs, Trenton Eagles, Northstar Riders and the Cycle Kings.

Stokes was familiar with the clubhouse located on Calhoun St. . So he went to look at the club and went back to four of his fellow riders and they agreed to start there own motorcycle club and use the Calhoun St. location as there clubhouse.

THE BEGININNING

At that time there was an all female motorcycle called the Cycle Queens. This club did not allow any men. So Stokes decided to name there club Cycle Kings, and no women were allowed.The original Cycle King members were:

Johnnie Stokes - vice pres.

Bill Bennet - president

Bob Hamilton

Melvin Clemmons - secretary

Melvin Crosby

Johnnie "Long John" Robinson

There were four sets of colors. The first set of colors were the words "Cycle Kings" in green letters..

The second set of colors was a round gold 10" patch with the words "Cycle Kings" printed inside the circle. The third set of colors was a 10" gold crown with a top rocker "Cycle Kings" and the bottom rocker was "Trenton, NJ".The fourth set of colors , the black mans head with a crown was added. The top rocker "Cycle Kings" in Gold and Green letters. The bottom rocker was "Trenton, NJ" also in green and gold. The racing bike design was developed by Wallace Jeter who was an avid motor racer.

CHAPTERS

The other chapters developed out of the members of the Cycle Kings associating with so many other clubs at that time. The Kings made such an impression on the people they associated with, that everybody wanted to be a Cycle King.

Through this association with Cycle Kings of Trenton, other chapters were born in Philadelphia PA, Richmond VA, Baltimore MD, and more recently Hartsville SC.

NEW BEGINNING

In 1975 the Kings took on new leadership with a new set of members consisting of Walt Mason, Jimmy Ray, Joe Jeter, Dee Woods, Big Melvin Crosby and Johnnie Stokes.

During the early to mid seventies, several women were active in club activities. This created a tension among the new members and the women were phased out with the new leadership. This became an all male club.

As the seventies progressed with social stature of the black man changing the club adopted the crowned black man with the afro as the center patch (circa 1979) and the top and bottom "Cycle Kings" rockers.

This patch has remained a formidable icon for the past 20 years.

They rode Triumphs, BSA's, Harley's, and Moto Guzzi's.

With the influx of the newer younger members, Bennet and Clemmons chose to move on the Mt. Holly Esquires an older club of the time, and leave the Kings to the young crowd.

THE CLUBHOUSE

The original club house was a row of garages which spanned from the front of the building to the existing entry door. After the take over of the Cycle Kings, it was expanded to where it is today, with most of the work being done by handy man, John Stokes and other members. Over time the members have used there skills to paint, sheetrock, build, shingle, tar and improve the interior and exterior to what it is today. There are still many changes scheduled to continue.