Mildred C. Crump was sworn in as Newark’s first African-American Councilwoman on July 1, 1994 in the 336th year history of this city. She brought a much needed perspective to that governing body. A longtime community activist, she has been a consummate and consistent advocate for women, children, senior citizens, the disabled, working families and those in need. On July 1, 2006, she was again sworn in as Councilwoman at-Large. She created history once again when she was elected as the first female president of the Newark Municipal Council.
Ms. Crump was born in Detroit, Michigan where she attended and graduated from the local public schools. Upon graduation from Wayne State University, she was the recipient of the David D. McKenzie Honor Society Award as the “Most Outstanding Female Student for Leadership and Scholarship”. She established another mark in history by becoming the first African-American Braille teacher in the City of Detroit. Upon moving to New Jersey in 1965, she became the first African- American Braille teacher in this state. She received her Master’s degree from Rutgers University, Newark in Public Administration.
As a resident of Newark, Ms. Crump has been active with numerous organizations. She is a past President and member of the Board of Trustees for Integrity House, Inc., Vice-Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the Bridge to Recovery, charter member of the African-American Museum at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C., past Chairman of the Board of Directors, Habitat for Humanity, Newark and subscribing Golden Heritage Life Member of the Newark Branch NAACP to name a few. She was a founding member of the New Jersey Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., the National Political Congress for Black Women of Newark, under the leadership of the late Honorable Shirley A. Chisholm, and the Global Women’s Leadership Collaborative of New Jersey, an organization dedicated to “sisterhood” issues with women in Africa. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a public service sorority.
Councilwoman Crump is the Founder of the Newark Women’s Conference, Inc., an organization whose purpose is to promote the empowerment of women in Newark and vicinity. She is the host of a local Cable Television Show entitled, “Straight Talk with Mildred Crump”. Issues of relevance affecting the quality of life are discussed and debated. Her services as a motivational speaker are often requested by schools, churches and public service organizations.
She is not ashamed to declare that “she loves God” and is an active member of the Bethany Baptist Church in Newark. She is a member of the Senior Missionary Society, the Altar Guild, the AIDS Ministry and the Welcome Committee. She is also an active member of the World Gospel Musical Association, an amalgamated choir, under the direction of Dr. Albert J. Lewis, Jr. She retired in 2003 after 42 years as a Braille Teacher and Education Consultant from the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Ms. Crump is a widow and the proud mother of two children, Cecil Lawrence (Larry) Crump, an attorney in Newark, and Sheri E. Crump, an Arts Programmer in New Orleans, Louisiana.