Category: African Americans
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H. Blanche Harris
1878-1956 (Thanks to George Robb who did much research on Harris, his full biographer is linked below.). Blanche Harris was active in the suffrage movement in Newark. Her obituary said she was a “member of one Newark’s first Negro families and active many years in community affairs” and “a pioneer in the Newark NAACP branch…
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Louise Scott
1927-1983 Louise Scott was the founder of the Scott School of Beauty Culture. Born in the South, she came to New York from the South as a domestic & then to Newark where she opened her first beauty shop in 1944. This expanded into five shops and then a school. Louise was known as Newark’s…
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Brenda Estelle Ray Moryck
1894-1945 Black writer and social activist born in Newark. Worked with Newark Bureau of Charities. She published short stories, essays, and book reviews in national journals and magazines. Photo from Wellesley College. At the time of her graduation from Wellesley in 1916 her address was 61 Kearny (31 Kearney seems to be the correct address)…
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Louise Bullock
1910-1974 Louise Bullock graduated from the University of Newark’s College of Arts & Sciences in 1937. She may be the first Black female graduate of a school affiliated with Rutgers. Louise served as a director of “Negro work” in United Service Organizations (USO) club activities for the Young Women’s Christian Association (YMCA). She was play…
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Effa Manley
1897-1981 Effa Manley owned the Newark Eagles, championship winning Negro Leagues team with her husband Abraham Manley. She was very active in the running of the baseball team. There are several books written about her life including James Overmeyer’s “Queen of the Negro Leagues”. The Newark News wrote in 1942, “There is little she doesn’t…
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Sarah Vaughan
1924-1990 Sarah Vaughan described as having “one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century.” Vaughan grew up in Newark and attended Arts High, many of her first performances were in Newark. In 1930, she lived at 9 Brunswick Street, and 1940 at 72 Brunswick St. In 1950, the family is listed at 2…