-
Althea Gibson
1927-2003 Althea Gibson was a world-championship tennis player from East Orange. A statue of Althea stands in Branch Brook Park, Newark and the tennis courts were named after her in 2002. Althea was very involved in the Newark community. In 1998, she founded the Althea Gibson Foundation which partnered with the City of Newark, Newark…
-
Carla Dunlap
1954- Carla Dunlap was born and raised in Newark where she competed in swimming and gymnastics and attended Maple Avenue School and the Arts High, graduating in 1971, when she was voted Most Athletic, along with Larry Hamm, now a Newark activist. She lived at 63 Scheerer Ave. In 1973, she won the AAU solo…
-
Sister June Favata
c. 1940 — Sister June worked for over 50 years at Saint Vincent’s Academy in Newark, where she was English teacher, program director, vice principal, administrative director and president of St. Vincent Academy, Inc. Her obituary said, “Known as the heart and soul of Saint Vincent Academy, Sister June dedicated her life to the education…
-
Florence M. Rose
1876-? Florence M. Rose was one of the earliest lawyers in NJ, she was admitted to the bar in 1898, when only three other women had passed the bar, one of whom was Mary Philbrook. In 1902, Florence passed her counselor at law exam. She said she found her work “very fascinating” and would advise…
-
Paula Laddey
1880-1966 Paula Laddey was an early woman lawyer in Newark serving from 1913-1950, during some of which she had her own Newark office. She served eight years as the assistant probation officer of Essex County. In 1914, she became attorney and executive secretary of the Legal Aid Society of New Jersey, in Newark, where she…
-
Clara Laddey
1856-1932 Clara Laddey was an important suffragist in New Jersey, who served as President of the New Jersey Woman’s Suffrage Association (NJWSA) from 1908-1912. In this capacity she advocated for suffrage locally and nationally, including speaking at Military Park. A detailed biography of her suffrage work is available from Alexander Street Suffrage Database, linked below.…
-
Carolyn Whigham
1949- Carolyn Whigham owns and runs Whigham Funeral Home and is known for skill in organizing funerals including for celebrity clients. She became director of Whigham Funeral Home in 1986 and has run over 6000 funerals including for Houston family and Congressman Donald Payne. She also hosted How to Conduct High Profile Funerals” seminars across New…
-
Mary Wheeler Willis
1929-1987 Mary Willis was a founder of the Newark Day Care Council in 1967 and Springfield Avenue Community School in 1969. In 1987, she former Springfield Avenue Community school was renamed the Mary Wheeler Willis Day Care Center, in her memory. Mary was a lifelong resident of Newark. She was the sister of Newark power…
-
Flora Freeman
c. 1753-1856 When Flora Freeman died in 1856 at 102 or 103 the Centinel of Freedom called her “a venerable colored woman” and “an interesting representative of her people of the past generation”. The Centinel wrote Flora, “often entertained her guests with the recital of many thrilling incidents which occurred during the American Revolutions”. Flora…
-
Joan Whitlow
c. 1949- Joan Whitlow, now retired, has been called the first full-time Black woman reporter at the Star Ledger. She was also the first Black woman to be medical editor in the country. Joan wrote on health, education and the Newark city government. Joan worked for the Ledger from at least 1973-2011 and she had…