Category: Social Work, Civic and Philanthropy
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Georgia Henson Hearn
1892 -1998 Georgia Hearn lived to age 105, making her one of the oldest Newark residents at her death. Friends said she didn’t smoke or drink, didn’t eat much meat, and kept busy, and had a strong religious faith. She said, “I never had any trouble finding work and life’s been pretty good.” Georgia known…
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Constance Hedden Schotland
1906-1997Constance Hedden was a Board of Education member, teacher and active in civic groups. Born in Newark on James Street, Constance Hedden graduated from Barringer High in 1924 and then Dennison University, and Montclair State Teachers College, where she received a Masters in Education in 1933. She took other teaching courses at Columbia, NYU and…
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Ame Amelia Garrison
c. 1909 – 1997 Amelia Garrison was a swing-era saxophonist who travelled widely playing with bands, also leading NJ’s only female orchestra as of 1938, according to the New Jersey Herald News, Ame Garrison’s Sirens of Swing. During her career she said, “usually I was the only female sax player they had ever worked with.”…
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Laura Thompkins
c. 1850 – 1942 In 1941, the Newark Sunday Call featured Laura Thompkins, a former slave, born in Georgia. Laura lived at 104 West St., Newark, and the article claimed she was 96 years old, having lived in Newark for more than 50 years. Laura spent her time knitting Bundles for Britain to help soldiers…
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Catherine Mouserrone Lynch
1876-1939 Catherine Lynch was the founding Secretary of the Phyllis Wheatley Society and secretary of the Board of Management of Colored Home for Aged and Orphans, for 32 years. She was also involved in the 250th anniversary of Newark celebration. In 1941, a plaque was unveiled in her honor at the Colored Home. Catherine grew…
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Gloria Del Toro
1920-2011 Gloria Del Toro was founding director of Newark Public Schools bilingual program. She was supervisor of the Chapter 1 program for English proficiency which served 5000 students and operated in 23 schools. Eugene Campbell, former superintendent stated that she pioneered bilingual and bicultural education in the district. She initiated campaigns that spurred the availability…
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Jessie Parsons Condit
1885-1983 Jessie Condit was executive director of the Children’s Aid Society on Springfield Ave in Newark, where she worked for 35 years. The Children’s Aid Society served “as a protective agency for children”, provided “guidance and treatment for behavioral problems” and placed “children in boarding and adoptive homes.” Jessie graduated Barnard College and started as…
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Mina Ginger Van Winkle
1875-1933 Mina Van Winkle was a famous suffragist who organized the Equality League of Self-Supporting Women in Newark in 1908. In 1912, the League was re-named the Women’s Political Union of New Jersey (WPUNJ), with Mina as president, and remained based in Newark, headquartered on Halsey Street. Mina was born in New York City, but…