Evelyn S. Field is a native of Somerville, New Jersey and a graduate of its public schools where she later worked with students from pre-school through high school as a teacher and educational media specialist. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Douglass College (then New Jersey College for Women), and holds master’s degrees in education and in library service from Rutgers-the State University. She was one of the first two African American women to live in the dormitories at Douglass College and be recognized with the first N.J.C. Heritage Award.
Field has five decades of organizational experience with women’s groups. She held many offices with the Associate Alumane of Douglass College, including that of President, and was the founding coordinator of the Black Alumnae Network. The college honored her with presentation of its Corwin Award, the Vanguard 50 service award and induction into the Douglass Society for Distinguished Achievement. She was named a New Jersey Woman of Achievement by the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs of GFWC and Douglass College. She is a recipient of the Rutgers University Alumni Federation’s Meritorious Service Award.
Long active in community organizations, Field was an activist during the Civil Rights movement as a member of the Somerville Negro Civic Council. She was also active with the League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women and the Rolling Hills Girl Scout Council, which presented her its Five Worlds of Girl Scouting Women of Achievement Award. Since its founding in 1983, she has represented the National Council of Negro Women on the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Black Issues Convention.
As a member of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), Field has held leadership positions with the local Raritan Valley Section, where she initiated educational, cultural enrichment, youth recognition and career development programs for young people. As New Jersey State Convener, she coordinates the work of NCNW within the state, concentrating on women’s leadership and program development. At the national level, she served on the National Nominating Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee and chaired the National Recertification Committee.
Since 1966, Field has been a member of the Board of Trustees of Raritan Valley Community College, which named its library in her honor. She led the creation of the Paul Robeson Institute for Ethics, Leadership and Social Justice at the college. She also serves as Trustee Emerita at Rutgers-the State University and served for two years on the Board of Trustees of Trenton State College (now the College of New Jersey).
Field has been cited numerous times for her contributions to the community: placement on the Somerset Medical Center Wall of Fame in recognItion of thirty years of service on its Board of Trustees; named 1996 Citizen of the Year by the Somerset County Chamber of Commerce; recognition by the Somerset County Commission on Women and the NOW-NJ Foundation; receipt of the Jean Harris Award from Rotary International; presentation of the Drum Major for Community Service Award by the New Jersey Martin Luther King Commission; receipt of the Northeast Region Diversity Award from the Association of Community College Trustees; and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the New Jersey Black Issues Convention.
Field lives in Bridgewater. She has two children: Nancy, a Project Director for Statewide Initiatives at the New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services; and Glenn, Chief, Electronic Communications Element at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.