c. 1913 -2007
Elitea was one of the early African Americans to work professionally at the Newark Public library after Theresa Moore. She was hired by Newark in 1938, according to Who’s Who, though the Newark News suggests 1940. By 1945, a Senior Children’s and Education Librarian, likely the first African American in this position at Newark Public before Mildred Lipscombe.
By 1953, she was Children’s Librarian at the Rosevile Branch and is remembered fondly by many patrons of that library.
In 1963, she sued the library for promotion bias, after a white woman, who scored lower on the Civil Service test, was made head of the Children’s Dept.
Elitea retired from Newark Library in 1983 after 45 years of service.
Born in South Carolina, lived in Bayonne by 1928, where she was part of the Girl Scouts, and Newark by 1940. She graduated Bayonne High School in 1930. She received her graduate degree of Library Science in 1936, starting in Orangeburg South Carolina and her bachelor’s from Claflin College. She received her Library Science Degree from Hampton Institute.
Elitea was the wife of Hughes Allison, playwright.
Bibliography
Hughes Allison Papers (many not digitized)
Census records
“Girl Scout Troop Doings in Bayonne” Jersey Journal Nov 5, 1928
“High School to Graduate 287 Tonight” Jersey Journal June 25, 1930
“Institute Board Lists Seniors For Honor Rank” Daily Press Feb 28, 1936
Library Journal, Jan 1, 2008
NPL News, 1945
Dotson, John L. “Library Bias Claim Put to State Board” Newark News Sept 24, 1963, pg. 54
“Hospital to Train Teens” Newark News May 25, 1961
“Newark Library Test Results” Newark News Jan 29, 1941
“A Detective Named Joe Hill” Newark News Jul 2, 1950
“Qualify for Library Jobs” Newark News Dec 18, 1940