Historical Highlights
Fannie Curtis (1939-1941)
- Organizing President
- Wife of a prominent physician, Dr. A.M. Curtis
- Member of St. Augustine Presbyterian Church
- Identified the issues and developed strategies for NAACP work to follow
Rev. Charles Tarter (1941-1949)
- Second President of the Branch
- Pastor of St. Augustine Presbyterian Church
- Instrumental in integrating local theaters
- Identified the issues and developed strategies for NAACP work to follow
Herman Irving (Late 1940's)
- Worked to reestablished the Branch in the post-war era
- Was member and officer of St. Aidens Episcopal Church
- A quiet, conscientious worker
Rev. Robert B. Dokes (1949-1951)
- Served as vice president under Rev. Tarter
- Sought to keep the Branch together and alive
- Called together 15 concerned people in the early 1950's to re-activate the Branch
Wendell Williams (1952-1956)
- Renaissance President
- Youth Branch was chartered December, 1954
- Worked closely with the Committee for Negro Participation in Government
- Police brutality was challenged
- Led a successful fight for a swimming pool available to all citizens
- Gained in the struggle to elect Blacks to public office: Dr. Capers, Virgil Reed, William Kline
Arthur Holloway (1956-1964)
- Worked to have the roofer's union which was building School No. 28 integrate. Nine Negro roofers were hired
- Executed a successful rent strike against a Slum Lord, Lobson
- Instrumental in getting the Grand Jury to hear a police brutality case which involved Willadean Williams
- Was jailed because of stance against injustice and discrimination
Lucille Suffern (1965-1966)
- NAACP office was located at 176 Broadway, the Board of Health Building
- Increased voter registration
- Worked to have more Black people hired in administrative positions in the public school system
- Greatly increased the Life Membership rolls of the Branch Maceo Hurst was chairman
Gilbert Benson (1966-1968)
- Began regular publication of The Word
- Concerted effort forced radio station WPAT to cover news in Paterson
- Instrumental in forcing IBM, Thomas English Muffin Co., and Nabisco to hire Black workers
- Membership totaled 2,000
Floyed Hinton (1969-1979)
- Youth group was reactivated in 1970. Eleanor Yates was the leader.
- Sat on the Ad Hoc Committee to make Paterson the permanent site for PCCC
- Joined with the League of Women Voters in an intensive voter registration drive
- Maceo Hurts maintained an outstanding record as Life Membership chairman
- Involved in Affirmative Action campaign on local and county levels and voiced concern in the selection of a new superintendent of schools
- Churches were awarded because of their support of the Mississippi Crisis
Ralph Hinton (1979-1980)
- Became President upon the death of Floyed Hinton
- 1979 Awards Dinner upon the death of Floyed Hinton
- Branch observed 40 years in the struggle for justice equality
James Adams (1981-1982)
- Declared October 31, 1981, Black Clergy Sunday
- 1981 Awards Dinner theme: Duplication of American Society
- Worked to educate voters to become wise in their use of their vote
- Life Memberships increased under the chairmanship of John Harris
- Dr. Gwendolyn Grant addressed the 1982 Awards Dinner
John Harris (1983-1984)
- The publication of The Word was re-instituted
- Initiated the Golden Heritage membership, 1983
- With PCCC Benjamin Hooks was brought to Paterson in celebration of Black History Month
- Initiated a city-wide voter registration drive in 1984. The National Political Action chairman was the guest speaker
- 1983 Awards Dinner Speaker was Congressman Julian Dixon
- The 1984 speaker was Civil Rights Activist, Mal Goode
Elease Evans (1985-1986)
- Made stepped-up efforts to solve police brutality cases
- Voter registration rally and campaign netted over 2300 new registrants
- Conducted successful Candidates' Nights
- 1985 Awards Dinner speaker was Hazel Dukes
- 1986 Awards Dinner speaker was Assemblyman Willie Brown
Elaine C. Harrington (1987-1988)
- Branch participated in the National Association's Campaign 1000 for membership recruitment
- Dr. Lenworth Gunther, professor at Essex County Community College was the speaker for the May 17, 1954 Decision Program
- 1987 Awards Dinner speaker was Congressman William Grey, III
- 1988 Awards Dinner speaker was Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode
- The Branch received national recognition of life memberships
James A. Davis, Jr. (1989)
- Called for an increase in memberships to reach 6000
- Opened the Branch offices six days each week
- Organizing President
- Wife of a prominent physician, Dr. A.M. Curtis
- Member of St. Augustine Presbyterian Church
- Identified the issues and developed strategies for NAACP work to follow
Rev. Charles Tarter (1941-1949)
- Second President of the Branch
- Pastor of St. Augustine Presbyterian Church
- Instrumental in integrating local theaters
- Identified the issues and developed strategies for NAACP work to follow
Herman Irving (Late 1940's)
- Worked to reestablished the Branch in the post-war era
- Was member and officer of St. Aidens Episcopal Church
- A quiet, conscientious worker
Rev. Robert B. Dokes (1949-1951)
- Served as vice president under Rev. Tarter
- Sought to keep the Branch together and alive
- Called together 15 concerned people in the early 1950's to re-activate the Branch
Wendell Williams (1952-1956)
- Renaissance President
- Youth Branch was chartered December, 1954
- Worked closely with the Committee for Negro Participation in Government
- Police brutality was challenged
- Led a successful fight for a swimming pool available to all citizens
- Gained in the struggle to elect Blacks to public office: Dr. Capers, Virgil Reed, William Kline
Arthur Holloway (1956-1964)
- Worked to have the roofer's union which was building School No. 28 integrate. Nine Negro roofers were hired
- Executed a successful rent strike against a Slum Lord, Lobson
- Instrumental in getting the Grand Jury to hear a police brutality case which involved Willadean Williams
- Was jailed because of stance against injustice and discrimination
Lucille Suffern (1965-1966)
- NAACP office was located at 176 Broadway, the Board of Health Building
- Increased voter registration
- Worked to have more Black people hired in administrative positions in the public school system
- Greatly increased the Life Membership rolls of the Branch Maceo Hurst was chairman
Gilbert Benson (1966-1968)
- Began regular publication of The Word
- Concerted effort forced radio station WPAT to cover news in Paterson
- Instrumental in forcing IBM, Thomas English Muffin Co., and Nabisco to hire Black workers
- Membership totaled 2,000
Floyed Hinton (1969-1979)
- Youth group was reactivated in 1970. Eleanor Yates was the leader.
- Sat on the Ad Hoc Committee to make Paterson the permanent site for PCCC
- Joined with the League of Women Voters in an intensive voter registration drive
- Maceo Hurts maintained an outstanding record as Life Membership chairman
- Involved in Affirmative Action campaign on local and county levels and voiced concern in the selection of a new superintendent of schools
- Churches were awarded because of their support of the Mississippi Crisis
Ralph Hinton (1979-1980)
- Became President upon the death of Floyed Hinton
- 1979 Awards Dinner upon the death of Floyed Hinton
- Branch observed 40 years in the struggle for justice equality
James Adams (1981-1982)
- Declared October 31, 1981, Black Clergy Sunday
- 1981 Awards Dinner theme: Duplication of American Society
- Worked to educate voters to become wise in their use of their vote
- Life Memberships increased under the chairmanship of John Harris
- Dr. Gwendolyn Grant addressed the 1982 Awards Dinner
John Harris (1983-1984)
- The publication of The Word was re-instituted
- Initiated the Golden Heritage membership, 1983
- With PCCC Benjamin Hooks was brought to Paterson in celebration of Black History Month
- Initiated a city-wide voter registration drive in 1984. The National Political Action chairman was the guest speaker
- 1983 Awards Dinner Speaker was Congressman Julian Dixon
- The 1984 speaker was Civil Rights Activist, Mal Goode
Elease Evans (1985-1986)
- Made stepped-up efforts to solve police brutality cases
- Voter registration rally and campaign netted over 2300 new registrants
- Conducted successful Candidates' Nights
- 1985 Awards Dinner speaker was Hazel Dukes
- 1986 Awards Dinner speaker was Assemblyman Willie Brown
Elaine C. Harrington (1987-1988)
- Branch participated in the National Association's Campaign 1000 for membership recruitment
- Dr. Lenworth Gunther, professor at Essex County Community College was the speaker for the May 17, 1954 Decision Program
- 1987 Awards Dinner speaker was Congressman William Grey, III
- 1988 Awards Dinner speaker was Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode
- The Branch received national recognition of life memberships
James A. Davis, Jr. (1989)
- Called for an increase in memberships to reach 6000
- Opened the Branch offices six days each week
