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Eva Mae Mulford
c. 1884-1886 to 1944 Eva Mae Mulford was a daughter of Clara Irene Mulford and lived in family house at 41 Chestnut. Eva was an early African American nurse associated with the Newark Board of Health. She was appointed in late 1917 or early 1918, it was reported in the Jan 1918 The Crisis that…
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Anna Luella Seager
c.1887 -1957 Anna Luella Seager was Associate Supervisor of the Newark Normal School and later Associate Professor Education at New Jersey State Teacher’s College. She planned international trips for the students, specializing in taking students through Europe for study. Anna worked at the Normal School/Teacher’s College (now Kean) from 1917, until her retirement in 1950.…
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Charlotte Kroll
1872-1958 Charlotte Kroll was the owner of Domestic Art Rooms 149 Washington St., teaching china painting. She also imported and dealt in china with Mrs. Florence Nightingale Waterfield. Charlotte lived in Newark from at least 1913 until her death. She was on the Artist Committee for the 1916 Pageant of Newark. Her work was exhibited…
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(Clara) Irene Pataquam Mulford
c.1854- 1945 In 1872, Clara Pataquam was the first African American pupil to attend the Newark High School. Previously African American students attended the Colored School. Clara had to sit alone in the last seat because she wasn’t allowed to sit next to a white pupil. However, she said she was treated with “consideration” and…
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Marion Thompson Wright
1902-1962 Marion Thompson Wright was a graduate of Barringer High and the first African American woman in the US to earn a PhD in History, according to most sources. There is a Rutgers annual lecture series named in her honor. Marion wrote, “The Education of Negroes in New Jersey” and other works. Marion was one of…
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Mary Philbrook
1872-1958 Mary Philbrook was the first female attorney admitted to the bar in New Jersey. She practiced in Newark for many years. While there are several large biographies of Mary already written (see below), she was in Newark from 1899 until World War 1, and again from 1920 through the end of her life. In…
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Elizabeth Swain(e) Ogden
1645-1706 In 1666, settlers from CT settled Newark. Elizaeth is said to be the first of the 1666 Newark landing party to step foot on Newark soil. Historian Urquhart believes she was first of the Branford group. Atkinson writes, “so that women’s proper rights to positions of honor and distinction in Newark are not the…
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Renee Starks Steed
1914-1996 Renee Starks Steed was a fashion designer. She directed Renee’s School of French Designing and Modeling (591 High St) and ran New York Hat Shoppe 392 Springfield Ave. Renee founded Renee Stark Enterprises and Renee’s Rental Services. She also owned Renee’s Acreage Recreational Area in Tuckahoe, NJ. Renee founded the New Jersey Community Council…
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Julia Baxter Bates
c. 1917-2003 Julia Bates was the first African American student at Douglass College, followed by a career of teaching and research. A coworker said, “She was truly a pioneer and an unsung heroine.” Julia Baxter Bates was the first African-American student admitted to Douglass College. Douglass admitted her without realizing her race, but accepted her…
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Marian C Manley
1892-1977 Marian C Manley ran Newark’s Business Library, a branch of the Public Library from 1926-1954. She retired in Oct 1954. Under her leadership the Business Library was known far and wide for excellent service. Said her employees when she retired, “Life was kind to have placed us under the supervision of Marian C Manley…there…