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Margaret P. McMahon Dugan
c. 1885-1947 In 1918, Margaret Dugan, Justina Eller and Etta Fallon were appointed as Newark’s first policewomen and only policewomen for a long period afterwards. Born in Harrison, Margaret was a store detective before being appointed to the police. Margaret was appointed director of the juvenile bureau and promoted to sergeant in 1943, with Etta…
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Cabiria Assunta Polo Accarino
1914-2007 Cabiria Accarino lived in Newark most of her life. She ran for North Ward Council in 1962 and organized the Forest Hill Little Children’s Theater in 1959. Cabiria taught piano, voice and drama for many years and had her own Italian language radio program where she wrote her own material. She was involved in…
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Lydia Gelston Spring Osborne
1876-1958 The Star Ledger wrote “A tiny woman bubbling with good cheer Mrs. Osborne had become a familiar figure in almost every important civic enterprise since the 20s”. She said, “I love Newark, I remember Newark when you would greet everybody in town when you went out marketing. It’s very changed today”. Lydia was very…
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Eloise Frazer Gehin
c.1877-1941 Eloise Gehin was a leader in the Republican Party. She was the first woman to serve as Vice Chairman of the Essex County Republican Committee (1920) and first Essex woman member of the Republican State Committee (1921). Eloise was active in the General Wood Campaign Committee, president of the Calvin Coolidge Club (founded 1924),…
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Ingrid Betancourt
1956- Ingrid Betancourt served in various leadership positions at Newark Public Library including interim director, assistant director, director of Operations, Hispanic Services Coordinator, head of Special Collections and head of Ethnic Services and Collections. She retired recently c. 2024. Born in Puerto Rico, Ingrid arrived at the library in 1980. She helped found La Sala,…
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Doris Thompson Dorsey
1911-1985 Doris Dorsey was the first Black woman supervisor in the Newark Post Office in 1966. She was “the only woman in an 18 member section”. Doris had been a Postal employee since 1942. She worked supervising West Station 255 Springfield Ave, before she was named foreman in charge of the supply division. She grew…
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Edythe Raabe
1907-1977 Edythe Raabe was the first woman graduate of Newark College of Engineering (now NJIT) in 1930. She was the first woman in the United States to receive a degree in chemical engineering. The Sunday Call reported she was the only female student at the College in 1928. During college she was employed by Bamberger…
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Jacqueline “Jackie” Rendleman Jones
c. 1951-2021 Jackie Jones was the first woman firefighter at the Newark Fire Department in 1981, along with Ethel Goldsberry who was later removed. In 1982, she was the only woman firefighter of over 600! She said being the city’s only woman firefighter was “rough in the beginning. I was not used to the men…
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Rose Danzis Parsonnet
c. 1900-2003 Rose Danzis was the daughter of Max Danzis, a founder of Beth Israel Hospital and Jennie Danzis, Ukrainian Jewish immigrants. She was married to Eugene Parsonnet, a cardiologist, and her son was Victor Parsonnet, renowned heart surgeon. Rose was involved with music throughout her life, “The house was filled with a Steinway grand,…
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Laura Champenois Wright Hedden
c. 1860-1950 Laura Hedden was a pioneer in the boys club movement in the 1930s and 1940s, establishing the first Boys Club on Halsey Street in 1908. In 1908, Star Eagle called her “one of the best known philanthropic women among the leaders of Newark’s social set.” Laura helped establish Excelsior Boys Club and the…