Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Plainfield's Female Political Trailblazers

Listening to the Democratic National Convention today made me think of some of Plainfield's female political /activist/feminist trailblazers. Here are some names that came to mind:

Nelly Suratt
Helen Miller
Liz Urquhart
Lillian Jamar
Angela Perun
Donna Vose
Linda Carter
Dottie Gutenkauf
Joanne Hollis
Nancy Piwowar
Annie McWilliams
Flor Gonzalez
Eva Rosas-Amirault

and on our present City Council
Rebecca Williams
Bridget Rivers
Gloria Taylor
Tracey Brown
Diane Toliver

and the first African-American female mayor, Sharon Robinson-Briggs.

If you don't know some of these names, ask somebody. If you know and remember these women, tell somebody. And feel free to add more, so we can celebrate them all.

--Bernice

10 comments:

  1. Trudy Christiansen

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  2. Thank you, Bernice. Other trailblazers who come to mind: Viola Dowe, Daycare leader; Libby Sachar, Judge; Evelyn Ricci, Councilwoman; Roberta Knowlton, Mayoral candidate; Trudi Christian, activist; Dr. Francis, PHS vice principal; Josephine Lapsley, medical scholarship for Muhlenberg; Marie Louise, superintendent Muhlenberg Hospital; Dr. Martha Tracy, researcher Colley Toxins; and there are many others.

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  3. Councilwoman Gwen Cruse was the first elected official I met when I moved to Plainfield in 1983.

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  4. We have some hard working and great women in politics in Plainfield. I will always be grateful for Dottie Gutenkauf and her guidance and don't forget Judge Gross who was fair and someone to be proud of. Thank you all.

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  5. Bernice, you omitted former Councilwoman and Past Council President Faheemah S. El-Amin. Just saying.

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    1. Yikes! My apologies. I was trying to picture the council table over the past 30 years and I knew I was missing people.

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  6. Let us not forget Lillian Feickert who lived in Plainfield and then moved to North Plainfield. She was the first woman in NJ to run for US Senate.

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  7. Pat Kavanagh Ann Louise Davis

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  8. I would like to recommend Nancy Jordan, as she is a valuable asset to Plainfield.

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