Category: African Americans
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Franotie Alston Washington
Franotie Alston, Franotie Washington 1942-2018 Franotie Alston Washington was a lifelong Newark resident who served for 35 years with the Newark Public Schools, much of that time as director of art education. Franotie Alston was born in Newark and lived with her mother Atha Alston at 97 Peabody Place, attending Summer Place School, Elliott Street…
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Altha Bleach Alston
1916-1963 Altha Bleach Alston was the first Black women state parole officer in New Jersey. In 1941, she supervised Black girls in Essex County after they were released from state custody. A 1941 profile said she was fond of her work which enabled her to “aid girls”. Her office was in the Newark Hall of…
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Edna Rainey Thomas
1941 – 1997 Edna Thomas was a community activist for affordable housing, day care, AIDs patients, and drug treatment, founding a drug treatment program. Councilman Tucker said, “Newark has lost one of its giants. Edna was not a normal person. Every activity I was involved she was there.” Born Edna Rainey in 1942, Edna lived…
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Margaret Moore
Margaret Cannon Moore, Margaret Akins 1908 – 1979 Margaret Moore, who the Afro American called “a great lady” was a senior citizen advocate and active in civic Newark life. After her death, the Court Tower Apartments were named in her honor. In 1971, she was cited as one of the NJ Afro American Women of…
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Anna Lundy Lewis
1916-2002 Anna Lundy Lewis (“Madame” Anna Lundy Lewis) was a virtuoso piano and organ player, gospel star, and minster of music at New Hope Baptist Church. She performed with Bing Crosby, Aretha Franklin and Sarah Vaughan and taught piano and vocals to hundreds of people including Doris Duke. She was called, “a pioneer who’s career…
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Dorothea Lee
1930 – 2007 Dorothea Lee involved in multiple organizations serving high positions in the Newark NAACP, National Association of Negro Business and Professional Womens’ Clubs, and heading American Veteran’s Post 5, the first woman to do so. She was also the first Black woman member of the New Jersey Air National Guard. Friend Tracy Mumford…
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Lucye Harrington Lee
1907-2000 Lucye Harrington Lee was known as a “volunteer extraordinaire” around Newark. Connie Woodruff said, “In an age where money often motivates people Lucye is the epitome of a true volunteer.” Lucye was also social editor of the New Jersey Afro American for many years starting in 1947. At University Hospital, she was called the…
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Althea Gibson
1927-2003 Althea Gibson was a world-championship tennis player from East Orange. A statue of Althea stands in Branch Brook Park, Newark and the tennis courts were named after her in 2002. Althea was very involved in the Newark community. In 1998, she founded the Althea Gibson Foundation which partnered with the City of Newark, Newark…