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Cecil I Dorrian
1882-1926 Cecil I. Dorrian (1882-1926) was a war reporter for the Newark News (WWI). She wrote a weekly column and traveled Europe and was the first accredited female reporter to go to the front lines. She was a playwright and wrote a play that was performed nationally. Cecil said, “They must know what it is…
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Bernice Maxwell Cross
c. 1918-2011 Bernice Cross worked at the Star Ledger all her life, from 1939 to 2004. She coordinated several sections of the paper as part of the editorial staff. She also served as a receptionist. For many years she was also a popular soprano singer, who enjoyed singing in choirs. Bernice was one of the…
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Nellie Grier
c. 1900-1984 Mrs. Nellie Grier, who was known as “Mother Grier” in Newark, founded and directed the senior center on Clinton Ave (now named after her) and organized the Newark Senior Citizens Council. In 1975, she organized the Emmanuel Senior Citizens Center. She said, “Too many older people sit home…just get worse…But when they come…
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Melinda Scott
1876-1954 Melinda Scott was an English immigrant and President of a Hat Trimmers Union in Newark & worked for suffrage including being part of a delegation to President Wilson. She was also a key figure in the labor movement and later was a Newark tax commissioner, the first woman on the Newark Tax Board and…
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Grace Baxter Fenderson
1882-1962 Grace Baxter Fenderson (1882-1962) was one of the first African American teachers in the Newark Public Schools and taught for 42 years, helped found the Newark Branch of the NAACP and served on the board of the Sojourner Truth branch of the YWCA. She was president of the Lincoln-Douglass Memorial Association. From 1936, she…
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Etta Fallon
1880-1960 Etta Fallon was the first women policewoman with Margaret Dugan and Justina Eller in 1918 and they were the only woman officers for many years. She promoted to Sergeant in 1943 with Dugan, retiring in 1948 as the only woman on the force, as the other two women had died. She was assigned for…
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Leila Gardner
1914-1993 Leila Gardner was executive director of the Newark Traveler’s Aid Society. She was the first African-American in the nation to head a Travelers Aid unit. She later worked for Family Services as a social worker for many years. The unit helped vulnerable travelers like children, immigrants and senior citizens at Newark Penn Station and…
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Pryno B Hillman
c. 1916-1963 Pryno B. Hillman was founder and president of the Mary McLeod Bethune Social Club, affiliated with the NJ State Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs. Pyrno was an organizer and director of creative and performing arts at Central Avenue Community Center. She was a charter member and first president of the Newark branch of…
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Sarah Kussy
1870-1956 Sarah Kussy was a prolific Jewish leader. The Jewish News wrote that her death, “is being mourned as a loss to this community of one of its most widely known and beloved leaders. Her contributions to Jewish life were felt on the national, state and local scenes and had continued since before the turn…
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Pansy L Borders
1906-1978 Pansy L. Borders (1906-1978) was the first director of Child Guidance for the Newark Board of Ed and served 43 yrs. Pansy worked in nearly every Newark school and wanted to infuse social work into the curriculum. She was one of the early Black teachers in the system, she was one of seven when…