Pansy L Borders

Feb 23, 2022

in 1890-1909 (Born), African Americans, Education, Museums and Libraries

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 she started in the Newark Public Schools.

Pansy was appointed to the “President’s Committee on Government Contracts” in 1960.

In 1967 Pansy was named New Jersey’s Social Worker of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers stating, “I’m as excited as can be! Especially because they selected a school social worker this year, it has added significance.

Pansy received an award from the Department of NJ Jewish War Veterans in 1968, a fellowship in Rutgers Urban Studies in 1965, and received the Brotherhood Award from the National Association of Christians and Jews in 1967. She said, “In this period of hate and unrest, young people are looking for something to hold onto…it is up to us, all of us, to give them faith in themselves and confidence in each other.”

Born in Iowa, Pansy came to Newark after high school and was a 1928 Graduate of Howard University and also active with numerous civic and religious organizations, attending the World Council of Churches conference in Tokyo.