Diane Copeland
1941-2000
Diane Sutton co-owned Je’s Restaurant. The first restaurant in Downtown Newark founded by people of color. Mayor Sharpe James called her “the heart and soul of downtown Newark”. The corner of William and Halsey Street, the site of her restaurant, was named in her honor.
Diane was born in North Carolina. After her marriage in 1965 she began working at Newark restuarants including Hercules at Broad and William. Diane would visit nearby Je’s Coffee Shop, on William and Treat Place, to have lunch, owned by Mr. Jezeirski. Diane went to work at Je’s and in 1970 Mr. Jezeirski sold the restaurant to the Suttons.
The restaurant moved to William and Halsey in 1980. Staff said, “Diane made you feel like part of the family.” Councilwoman Mildred Crump said, “Je’s was more than a restaurant. It was an institution.” Diane said their cream of potato soup was “the best in the whole world.” Celebrities like Savion Glover, Queen Latifah and Whitney Houston ate at Je’s.
Diane was honored in 1987 by the National Council of Negro Women. In 1993, she was Chairwoman of the Greater Newark Fresh Air Fund, hosting a benefit buffet at her restaurant.
In 1996, Je’s was featured for hosting regular music, including from Phyllis Wallace, a retired cafeteria worker. Diane died suddenly in 2000 from a heart attack and Je’s closed in 2013.
Bibliography
Kukla, Barbara J. Newark Women: From Suffragettes to the Statehouse.
Roberts, Reginald. “Diane Sutton the soul of southern cooking” Star Ledger Aug 9, 2000.
Stewart, Nikita, “Newark Names Street for Queen of Soul Cooking” Star Ledger Jun 5, 2001
Photo from Newark NJ Memories.
“Beloved eatery closes” Star Ledger Jul 14, 2013
Kukla and Byrd, “Best Wishes” Star Ledger Dec 31, 1979
“Women’s council…” Star Ledger Apr 6, 1987
Finley, Charles “Chairwoman…” Star Ledger May 9, 1993
Finley, Charles “Benefit Buffet” Star Ledger Jul 28, 1993
Kukla, Barbara, “From the Professor…” Star Ledger Apr 18, 1996