He was born on February 2, 1922, in
Athens, Georgia. Usry graduated from
Atlantic City High School and earned a bachelor's degree in 1946 from
Lincoln University. From 1946 to 1951, he was a professional
basketball player with the
New York Renaissance and
Dayton Rens. In 1971, he earned a master's degree from
Glassboro State College. From 1952 to 1984, Usry was an educator in the
Atlantic City School District, where he served as assistant superintendent from 1977 to 1984. On March 20, 1987, Usry was nominated by President
Ronald Reagan for a two-year term on the National Advisory Council on Educational Research and Improvement. In 1990, Usry was succeeded as mayor by
Jim Whelan. Supporters claimed the race had been rigged. All major charges against Usry were dropped when he pleaded guilty to improper reporting of campaign contributions and agreed to perform 60 hours of community service with the Salvation Army. ==See also==