NEW JERSEY STATE STEERING COMMITTEE

Passaic County

History:

In the Fall of 1950, Mrs. Helen Foster told Mildred Tramble about the newly organized, National Council of Negro Women. The northern New Jersey Unit of the N.C.N.W. began holding regular meetings in locations around the northern part of the State once a month.  During that Fall, Mrs. Foster accompanied Mrs. Bessie Clark, Flossie Walker, Lucille Suffern and Mildred Tramble to a Newark meeting. Those who attended found the purpose and the program of the N.C.N.W. so interesting and inspiring that they came away from the meeting anxious to tell their friends and neighbors in Paterson about the National Council of Negro Women.

Once Mildred Tramble set a date, Mrs. Della Walker, Charlotte Lane, Flossie Walker, Viola Johnson, Hester Deas, and Bessie Clark met at Mildred’s Paterson home on Graham Ave. They found out more about the N.C.N.W. and the “Nine Point Plan” from the State Organizer Mrs. Garnette Henderson, who was presented to the group by Mrs. Helen Foster. This meeting left all who were present enthusiastic about forming a section of the National Council of Negro Women in Passaic County.

On January 28, 1951, another meeting was held at the home of Lucille Suffern on Hamilton Ave. (Paterson), and officers for the Passaic County Section were elected. Since it was a requirement of the national body of N.C.N.W. that a unit is not chartered until it has 50 members, a year passed before this was accomplished. In either 1952 or 1953, we gained enough members to receive a charter and became a bona fide unit of the National Council of Negro Women.

Today after much growth and involvement in Local, State and National programs, the Passaic County Section is still in that number of enthusiastic members of strong women striving to carry out our pledge to ourselves, family, community, faith and country.

(This information about our History was prepared by Mildred Tramble from minutes written by Mrs. Lucille Suffern).

Passaic County Events & Activities

Yearly Community Events

• Black History Month – February

• Youth Performance for Black History – February

• Womens History Month – March

• Community Harambee Breakfast – April

• NCNW Recognition – June

• Community End of the Year Celebration - June

• Community Luncheon – October

• AARP Support

Outreach Support Groups

• Hattitude with 8 new members

• GAPA Picnic

• Grandparent Resource Center

• Delta Sigma Theta Paterson Alumnae Chapter

• KIOP (Kids of Incarcerated Parents)

• Team Hope Holiday Toy Drive

• Passaic County 100 Black Women