Myrna Milan

Mar 14, 2022

in 1930-1959 (Born), Hispanic/Latino Americans, Law and Law Enforcement

1954-

Myrna Milan-Rivera

Myrna Milan was the first Hispanic Newark municipal judge in 1988 and active with the Puerto Rican Congress and ASPIRA. As a judge, she was well-known for developing alternative sentences for offenders, according to the book Latinas: Hispanic Women in the US.

Myrna was born in Hoboken, of Puerto Rican descent, and grew up in in Hoboken, attending Hoboken High School. She attended Douglass College, where she took part in Puerto Rican cultural activities and a scholarship drive for Puerto Rican students. She worked for ASPIRA for 3 years, before going to law school.

By 1976, she was the Hoboken rep for the Puerto Rican Congress of NJ and spoke at a public DEP hearing saying the DEP and the state failed to protect river towns like Hoboken, by developing the waterfront without thinking about community needs like ratables and jobs.

By 1983, she worked as a prosecutor for the city of Elizabeth and was the honorary godmother of the NJ State Hispanic Parade. In 1984 Myrna married Jose Rivera.

Myrna was appointed a municipal judge by Mayor James in 1988. She also received a Distinguished Citizen Award during Puerto Rican Week from the City that year. She said, “It is an honor for me to be coming into a new phase of my career here in the city of Newark.”

In 1992, Myrna was nominated for business administrator in Elizabeth and served until 1994. From 1994-1996, was a member of the NJ State Committee on Women in Courts.

Myrna is now retired but continues to be involved in community events such as speaking to Newark students. A small collection of her papers are in the Hispanic Research and Information Center at the Newark Library.