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Sara Jane Ash
1886-1973 Sarah Jane Ash was one of only two woman engineers at NJ Bell Telephone Company as of 1937. She started in 1902, as a phone operator. She said, “I like my work. Every phase of it is very engrossing.” Born in Paterson, Sarah Jane worked at Bell in Paterson and other places until 1929…
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Dr. Gertrude Ash Golat
c. 1909-1980 Dr. Gertrude Golat was a graduate of University of Vienna Medical School, who came to Newark in 1939. For 25 years worked as a part time physician for the Newark Board of Education and in the 1960s led the drive for better sex education in Newark schools, creating a training program for teachers.…
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Rose Baldasare Maker
1913-1997 Rose Maker was the 1939 Women’s Singles NJ Tennis Champion and the Newark Open Champion 4 years in succession, sometimes playing against her sister Marie. She lived at 258 Van Buren St and Elm Street. She was a graduate of East Side High, born to Italian immigrants. She also played for the Ironbound women’s…
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Shirley Northern Green
c. 1935-1983 Shirley Green was appointed director of the Division of Public Welfare in 1978 by Ken Gibson. She previously served as Rent Control Administrator from 1974 to 1978, and in the Business Administrator’s office before that. Shirley was forced to leave school at age 15 due to illness. In 1966, after a husband and…
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Marcia King Stillwell
c. 1846- Feb 13, 1929 Marcia King Stillwell was a daughter of Mary Thompson King and sister of Harriet and Ellen King. Marcia was First Assistant to James Baxter from at least 1865 (first year its listed in the Board of Education reports) until 1880, likely through 1882 so at least fifteen years. In Jan…
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Helen M Berry
c. 1878-1941 Helen Berry was very active in Essex County Republican politics and a member of the Essex County Board of Elections. From 1920-1924, she was vice chairman of the Essex County Republican Committee. From 1926, she was a member of the Republican State Committee, serving as Vice Chairman (1927-1931). In 1938, she was appointed…
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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…