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Minnie E Stith
1893-1970 Minnie E Stith was a founder and pastor of Zion Holy Church in Newark for 35 years, making her likely the first woman to build a church from the group up in Newark. The church had various locations including South Orange Avenue and Mulberry Street. Minnie became pastor in 1934. She purchased 2 buildings…
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Catherine Mouserrone Lynch
1876-1939 Founding Secretary Phyllis Wheatley Society, 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. Grew up in Queens, NY. Listed as “Indian” at…
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Maud E Johnson
1864-1947 Librarian of the New Jersey Historical Society for over 25 years, when it was on West Park Street in Newark. Maud E Johnson was a graduate of Pratt Library School 1899. She organized the library of poet William Cullen Bryant, before being hired by the NJ Historical Society in 1902. She was the only…
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Edwina Johnson Hale
1933-2019 Alt names: Bailey, Manigault, Mason Edwina Johnson lived with her parents and siblings at 56 Ridgewood Ave in Newark and attended South Side High (now Shabazz). Her father was a taxi driver. In Jun of 1949, when she was 16, Edwina and her brother Marshall, along with their father, stopped in Montgomery, AL, on the…
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Mae Massie Eberhardt (Mary Graves)
1915-2007 Union leader and activist for nearly 35 years. During most of her union work from the 1950s to 1970s she is listed as being a Newark resident. Born in Virginia as Mary Graves, she moved to Orange after her marriage. Working at the Orange Domestic Laundry, she joined AFL 284, where she became a…
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Georgianna Franklin Brennan
1936- Early Star Ledger writer, born in Newark, daughter of Parks and Property Director Pearce Franklin. In June 1953, when she would have been about 17, a photo of Georgianna judging Miss Newark Marine Corps listed her as “Miss Georgianna Franklin of the Star Ledger”. In August, Georgianna had what may be her first byline,…
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Myrtle L. Bruton Hartsfield
1934-2001 First woman to be named to Newark’s Alcohol and Beverage Control Board in 1981. She said, “I am very proud to be the first woman on the Board. We do have a lot of lady tavern owners here and I welcome the challenge.” She served until at least 1984. At the time she was…
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Sylvia Guarino
26 Dec 1945- First woman deputy mayor in Newark, appointed by Mayor James in 1986. The full time position paid $28300 and the purpose was to “serve as a conduit between the government and its citizens” and “assist the day-to-day operation”. She envisioned improving quality of life, working with the community and working with various ethnic…
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Melba Moore
1945 (1941?)*- Internationally known singer and actress. Attended Arts High School as “Beatrice Melba Smith (Moorman)” and lived at 283 Rose St. She also attended Waverly Avenue Elementary School and Cleveland Jr. High. Her stepfather was Newark musician Clem Moorman. Melba graduated from Montclair State (Newark Normal) and taught music at Peshine Avenue School from…
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Mary Cartin Kelley Howard
1889-1951 Pioneer in the Marines, one of the first three women to be enlisted nationally, and first in Newark. She did general office work in the Marine Corps offices in Washington DC, assigned to the Publicity Bureau. In Nov 1918, she was part of an official visit to Quantico and, later, she participated in a…