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Mae T. Muldrow
1909 -1977 Mae Muldrow owned LaVogue Beauty Salon (Beauty and Wig Center) for 37 years. Mae was one of the founders of the Modern Beauticians Association, a national organization, and former president of Modern Beautician Investment Corp. She was active with the Cordelia Greene Johnson Foundation (scholarships for beauticians) and general chairman of the Beauty…
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Ella Wright Moncur
1919-1999 Ella Moncur was born in Newark, lived in NYC in 1930. She was the wife of jazz artist and owned the Theatrical Beauty Salon in Newark, and also a salon called Monte’s Powder Puff. Ella later retired to Florida and taught there, her going away party featured in New York Age. She also was…
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Emma Holman Coleman
1864-1935 Emma Coleman ran and served as President of Coleman National Business College, at Academy and Halsey, in Newark after the death of her husband in 1903. She worked to adapt the school to the 20th century including expanding shorthand and practical offerings. Born in Poughkeepsie, as Emma Holman, Emma was the second wife of…
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Eugenia “Jeanne/Jean” (Byrd) Dawkins
c. 1926-1978 Eugenia Dawkins owned the Key Club, one of Newark’s most famous jazz clubs, with her husband. She ran the club after her husband died In 1976 she was named Newark’s Woman of the Year and received a Key to the City. In 1977, she organized the “Newark Salutes Jazz” festival. Eugenia was a…
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Jennie Caputo
1918-1996 Jennie Caputo was a gymnast who competed in the 1936 Olympics with the first US women’s gymnastic team. She won the all-around 1st prize in Olympic tryouts. She said of the Olympics, “Everything was grand, the ship, the people…everything! I didn’t have any trouble during the competition….Would I like to go back for the…
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Sally Carroll
1922-2019 Sally Carroll was one of the first Black policewomen in Newark along with Rhoda Daniels and Eleanor M. Stokes in 1949 . She was the first Black woman detective with the Essex County Sherriff’s Office. She was active with the Batons. After entering the police in 1949, she took the Civil Service promotional exams…
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Hannah Kinney
1761-1832 Hannah Kinney helped found the Newark Female Charitable Society in 1803 and served as president. She was described as “A star in the social world of her day as well as a writer and theologian” and “a belle in her youth.” She also instituted the first Sabbath schools in the city. Hannah was born…
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Hannah Mandeville
c. 1810 – 1902 Hannah Mandeville was born into slavery, one of the first members of the African American Plane St. Church and active in the church. Her Newark News obituary said she was “well known to the negroes of this city and to many white people for her piety and good works”. The Daily…
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Emma Ward Edwards
1845-1896 Emma Ward Edwards was one of the first woman doctors in New Jersey. She ran a large general practice in Newark, also practicing at the Home of the Aged, and around Newark. Newark News wrote she was “to many households the beloved physician, the sympathizing helpful friend who spared herself no labor to reduce…
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Amina Baraka
1942- Amina Baraka is an American poet, actress, author, community organizer, singer, dancer, and activist. She is the mother of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. Born Sylvia Robinson, Amina grew up in Newark and attended Arts High School, class of Jan 1961. In 1960, she married Walter Wilson. In 1963, she was one of the founding…