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Gloria Waldron Butler
1931 – 1998 Gloria Butler was a political activist in the Central Ward. She became involved in local politics in the 1950s from friendships with Irvine Turner and Timothy Still, among others. She was a Democratic committeewoman and district leader, for many years in Hayes Home and “a fixture at the polls, working tirelessly to…
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Constance Hedden Schotland
1906-1997Constance Hedden was a Board of Education member, teacher and active in civic groups. Born in Newark on James Street, Constance Hedden graduated from Barringer High in 1924 and then Dennison University, and Montclair State Teachers College, where she received a Masters in Education in 1933. She took other teaching courses at Columbia, NYU and…
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Ella Van Steenburgh
c. 1871 – 1958 Ella Van Steenburgh was a registered nurse, who ran a successful Nurse’s Home and registry business for over 40 years. In 1906, Ella graduated from Newark City Hospital School of Nursing: Class Photo here from Newark Library. She began working a hospital nurse, however, in 1908 she acquired spinal meningitis and…
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Ame Amelia Garrison
c. 1909 – 1997 Amelia Garrison was a swing-era saxophonist who travelled widely playing with bands, also leading NJ’s only female orchestra as of 1938, according to the New Jersey Herald News, Ame Garrison’s Sirens of Swing. During her career she said, “usually I was the only female sax player they had ever worked with.”…
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Jenny H. Morris
1870-1949 Jenny H Morris was secretary of the NJ Women’s Suffrage Association and Newark News reporter from 1914 until her retirement in 1946. From her biography on the Alexander Street Suffrage database: Ms. Morris covered education, welfare movements, and women’s organizations. She wrote under the byline “J.H. Morris” because “at the time Ms. Morris came…
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Marguerite Marquart
1884 – 1960 Marguerite Marquart was director of art for the Newark Public Schools for 23 years, after Sarah Fawcett, and with the schools for 40. She said, “I’ve always worked hard doing what I could to help increase the interest and application in art”, saying “the aim of art in the schools is to…
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Earlene Jackson Provit
1945-2007 Junius Williams in his book “An Unfinished Agenda” states that Earlene Provit was a “community legend…I heard a story about Earlene fighting five cops and winning!” Earlene worked part time at a bar called the Pink Palace. Junius says, “I remember the first time I went to the Pink Palace. Earlene was wearing a…
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Ruth C. Battles Dickerson
1867-1939 Ruth Battles was an early Black graduate of Newark High School, in 1891. In 1894 and 1895 she is listed as running a Select School in Newark at 187 Commerce. Ruth married Rev. Charles Dickerson in 1895 but in 1901 sued him for desertion. He had to pay her $4 a week (later revised…
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Laura Thompkins
c. 1850 – 1942 In 1941, the Newark Sunday Call featured Laura Thompkins, a former slave, born in Georgia. Laura lived at 104 West St., Newark, and the article claimed she was 96 years old, having lived in Newark for more than 50 years. Laura spent her time knitting Bundles for Britain to help soldiers…
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Minnie E Stith
1893-1970 Minnie E Stith was a founder and pastor of Zion Holy Church in Newark for 35 years, making her likely the first woman to build a church from the group up in Newark. The church had various locations including South Orange Avenue and Mulberry Street. Minnie became pastor in 1934. She purchased 2 buildings…