Category: African Americans
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Mary C. Woody
c. 1877-1966 Mary C. Woody became the first licensed female funeral director in NJ in Newark in 1913. She opened a funeral home that bears her name in Orange, which is open to…
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GiGi Foushee
1947-1997 GiGi Foushee was a Newark police officer, county detective, head Newark’s ABC department, deputy mayor & first African-American woman warden of Essex County Jail. “In a few months short of 50 yrs…
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Gladys Grauer
1923-2019 Artist, launched the Aard Studio Gallery in Newark in 1972. Also ran for office with the Socialist Workers Party in 1960. Founding member of Black Woman in Visual Perspective, New Jersey Chapter…
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Zelma Mitchell Collins
1930-2023 Zelma Collins was the first black teacher at South 17th Street School in 1952 and rose to principal! Later, she was principal of Clinton Ave. She was awarded Most Outstanding Alumnus from…
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Rebecca Andrade Doggett
1941- Founder of Tri City People’s Corp. First Director of the Essex County Office of Citizen’s Services, the founding Executive Director of the Head Start Program and the Newark Preschool Council, and the…
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Larrie West Stalks
1925-2015 Larrie Stalks was Essex County Register from 1974-1994. Stalks became Executive Secretary of the Newark Planning Board in 1962. In 1967, Addonizio appointed her as Director of the Newark Department of Health…
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Mildred Crump
1938-2024 Mildred Crump was Newark’s first African American councilwoman in 1994 and first female council President, from 2006-2010 and 2013-2021. She was also the first African American Braille teacher in NJ. Born in…
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Marion Bolden
1946- Marion Bolden was superintendent of the Newark Public Schools from 1999-2008. She was born in Newark and is a graduate of South Side High School. She founded the Newark Public Schools Historical…