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Florence Haines
1869-1955 Florence Haines secretary of the New Jersey Women’s Political Union, a charter Member of the Newark League of Women Voters, and one of New Jersey’s first woman Assembly representative from 1926-1931, one of the first two sisters in the General Assembly with her sister Margaret. Bills she championed in the Assembly included better rehabilitation…
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Louise Bullock
1910-1974 Louise Bullock graduated from the University of Newark’s College of Arts & Sciences in 1937. She may be the first Black female graduate of a school affiliated with Rutgers. Louise served as a director of “Negro work” in United Service Organizations (USO) club activities for the Young Women’s Christian Association (YMCA). She was play…
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Effa Manley
1897-1981 Effa Manley owned the Newark Eagles, championship winning Negro Leagues team with her husband Abraham Manley. She was very active in the running of the baseball team. There are several books written about her life including James Overmeyer’s “Queen of the Negro Leagues”. The Newark News wrote in 1942, “There is little she doesn’t…
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Sarah Vaughan
1924-1990 Sarah Vaughan described as having “one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century.” Vaughan grew up in Newark and attended Arts High, many of her first performances were in Newark. In 1930, she lived at 9 Brunswick Street, and 1940 at 72 Brunswick St. In 1950, the family is listed at 2…
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Clara Maass
1876-1901 Clara Maass was one of the first graduates of Newark German Hospital and was named head nurse at 21. She served with as a contract nurse in the field hospitals of the Seventh Army Corps, among other assignments, including in the Phillipines. Her mother said, “Clara was a strong, vigorous girl able to withstand…
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Maria Jeritza Seery
1887-1982 Renowned Czech soprano Maria Jeritza lived in the Newark Forest Hill from 1948 until her death in 1982, after her marriage to umbrella manufacturing Irving Seery, who died in 1966. Maria’s rapid rise to fame, beauty and personality earned her the nickname “The Moravian Thunderbolt”. She performed throughout Europe and the United States, and…
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Caroline Bamberger Fuld
1864-1944 Caroline Bamberger Fuld, sister of Louis Bamberger, helped found famed Newark store Bamberger & Co. She devoted her later life to philanthropy, throughout Newark incl. Jewish & African American groups & helped found the Institute for Advanced Studies at Princeton. Caroline donated frequently to the Mosque theater and donated 5,000 cherry trees to Branch…
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Marie Siconolfi Villani
1921-2021 Marie Villani was the first women in Newark elected to citywide office. She served as Councilwoman from 1973-1993. In 1973, after her husband Ralph Villani resigned due to illness, she was appointed for the remainder of the term, and then was elected. She said she believed a “woman’s touch” on the council would be…