Category: Education, Museums and Libraries
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Ellen C. King
c. 1839-1936 Ellen C. King was the daughter of Mary Thompson King and sister of Harriet King Brown and Marcia King Stillwell. She was born at 70 Warren Street and lived there most of her life. She lived to age 97. Ellen went to North Carolina after the Civil War to help establish a school…
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Harriet A. King Brown
c.1850-1912 The New York Age called Harriet King Brown “an energetic woman and a credit to her race”. The Sunday Call wrote, “She was interested in many charitable enterprises and was a successful businesswoman.” Harriet was one of the first public school teachers under James Baxter at the Colored School in Newark. She was listed…
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Carrie Epps Powell
c. 1905-1987 Born in Newark, attended East Side High, Newark State University and graduated Rutgers in 1931. Worked as a teacher for over 40 years, retiring in 1964 as VP of Hawthorne Ave School. When she was named VP in 1962 this made her the first Black teacher to be promoted to an administrative post…
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Gladys Berry Francis
c. 1911-1993 Gladys Francis was director of Elementary Education for the Newark Public Schools from 1967-1978. Gladys previously taught at Charlton Street School and South 8th Street School and was Vice Principal at South 8th Street, Oliver Street and Bragaw Avenue Schools. She started teaching in 1936. Gladys was a member of the Phillis Wheatley…
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Grace Oliver Duryee
c. 1874 – 1945 Grace Duryee headed the East Side Day Nursery for 31 years. She worked closely with philanthropist Louise Shugard. The Newark News wrote she “has been mother and grandmother to two generations of Newark’s children from all parts of the city”. Louise Shugard said, “she is the most faithful soul I’ve ever…
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Cabiria Assunta Polo Accarino
1914-2007 Cabiria Accarino lived in Newark most of her life. She ran for North Ward Council in 1962 and organized the Forest Hill Little Children’s Theater in 1959. Cabiria taught piano, voice and drama for many years and had her own Italian language radio program where she wrote her own material. She was involved in…
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Lydia Gelston Spring Osborne
1876-1958 The Star Ledger wrote “A tiny woman bubbling with good cheer Mrs. Osborne had become a familiar figure in almost every important civic enterprise since the 20s”. She said, “I love Newark, I remember Newark when you would greet everybody in town when you went out marketing. It’s very changed today”. Lydia was very…
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Ingrid Betancourt
1956- Ingrid Betancourt served in various leadership positions at Newark Public Library including interim director, assistant director, director of Operations, Hispanic Services Coordinator, head of Special Collections and head of Ethnic Services and Collections. She retired recently c. 2024. Born in Puerto Rico, Ingrid arrived at the library in 1980. She helped found La Sala,…