Category: Social Work and Philanthrophy
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Asimina Speros Zois
1909-1987 Arrived in Newark at age 7 from Greece, married in 1937 as “Minnie Speros”. Before marriage lived on Baldwin St (1930) and served as a bookkeeper. In 1927, she was listed as…
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Anna Lois Russ Jones
1911-1987 Mother of Amiri Baraka. Born in Alabama, lived in Newark from 1926. Attended Tuskegee, Fisk, and Shaw College. Administrator for Community Hospital for many years. Community relations specialist for the Newark Housing…
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Maggie Clay Beckett
c. 1892-1972 Founded the James H. Beckett funeral home with her husband. President of the New Jersey State Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs 1943-1947, as well as Vice President. She was the first…
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J. Isabelle Sims
c. 1873-1952 Prolific Newark social worker and lifelong Newarker. Directed Fresh Air Fund Camps for 32 years and would travel to be at the Summit camp even when in a wheelchair in later…
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Delores Rich
1948-1996 President of the Aspen Riverpark Tenants Association, who did lots of organizing for tenants in the building. Tenants were forced out of the old Prudential Apartments to allow Aspen to renovate it.…
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Marie Wolfs
1885-1986 Marie Wolfs was a Vice Principal of South Side High School for more than 30 years until her retirement in 1951. However, she had a very exciting life outside the school. In…
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Marion Roberson Kidd
1928-2012 Born in Newark. Worked 15 years with the North Jersey Community Union later named Newark Community Health Center, as a Social Outreach Manager and clerk in the Social Security program. She was…
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Christiana Oehler Trefz
1831-1913 Image from 1889 city atlas President and manager of the Christiana Trefz Brewing Company. She managed the company from 1876, when her husband died, until 1889 when it merged with Krueger, after…