Historical
The Historical Category is open for deceased New Jerseyans whose contributions transcend any one particular category.

Alice Paul  Mt. Laurel/Moorestown (1885 – 1977)

Alice Stokes Paul was the architect of some of the most outstanding political achievements on behalf of women in the 20th century. Born on January 11, 1885 to Quaker parents in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, Alice Paul dedicated her life to the single cause of securing equal rights for all women. She founded the National Woman’s Party in 1914 and led the first picketers to the White House gates in the name of women’s suffrage. When women won the right to vote in 1920, Paul turned her focus to the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) which she authored in 1923. She worked for women’s rights internationally and founded the World Woman’s Party in 1938 with its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Paul then succeeded in getting a sexual discrimination clause written into Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.  She lobbied Representatives to pass the ERA from her wheelchair in a nursing home in Moorestown, until her death in 1977.  Though the ERA has yet to be ratified, her legacy lives on through the work of the Alice Paul Institute.  Based at her childhood home, Paulsdale in Mount Laurel, NJ, API's educational programs, tours and events fulfill its mission to preserve Alice Paul's legacy to develop future leaders.

Les Paul  Mahwah (1915 - 2009)

Guitarist, songwriter, inventor, innovator, Les Paul is considered to be one of the foremost influences on the sound of contemporary music and on the development of the electric guitar. Born in Waukesha, Wisconsin in 1915 he spent much of his 94 years in Mahwah, New Jersey. Not only is he responsible for the development of the solid-body electric guitar and the world’s most famous guitar – the Gibson Les Paul, but he also is responsible for many recording industry innovations and ingenious guitar effects, including multitrack recording and the reverb. The Les Paul guitar today is used all over the world both by novice guitar players as well as guitar legends such as Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Ace Frehley. Les played many styles of music, starting out in country, but eventually evolving to jazz and popular. He was a sideman to superstars such as Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby and in the late 1940’s and 50’s, he and wife Mary Ford were at the top of the charts and hosted a hit television program. He is the only individual to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame, the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Les Paul continued to perform at New York City’s Iridium Club up until his death in August of 2009.

Woodrow Wilson Princeton (1856 – 1924):

Woodrow Wilson occupies a secure position within the pantheon of great American Presidents.  His domestic legislation and the new directions he charted in foreign policy during the First World War continue to shape American politics and diplomacy. He was born in Staunton, Virginia in 1856.  He pursued his interest in history and politics at the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University), from which he graduated in 1879.  He earned his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University. Wilson’s renown as a scholar and brilliant teacher at Princeton led to the presidency of his alma mater in 1902.  He was elected Governor of New Jersey in 1910, and the progressive measures he championed catapulted him to national fame and to his election as President in 1912. In his first term, President Wilson enacted sweeping legislation, including creation of the Federal Reserve System and Federal Trade Commission, restrictions on child labor, and other major progressive reforms.  Reelected in 1916, Wilson carved out a monumental legacy in the realm of foreign policy.  He mobilized the country and successfully led the U.S. as a war-time President.  His efforts to end the war and his attempt to form the League of Nations earned him the Nobel Peace Prize, but the U.S. did not join the League.  President Wilson stands as a seminal figure in the history of American and world politics and remains one of the country’s most influential Presidents.

Enterprise
The Enterprise Category is open to scientists, business leaders, inventors, leaders in medicine, entrepreneurs and philanthropists.

Michael Graves  Princeton  (1934)

Michael Graves is credited with broadening the role of the architect in society and raising public interest in good design as essential to the quality of everyday life.  A native of Indianapolis, Graves received his architectural training at the University of Cincinnati and Harvard University.  In 1960, he won the Rome Prize and studied at the American Academy in Rome for two years.  In 1962, Graves moved to New Jersey to begin a 39-year teaching career at Princeton University, where he has made his home ever since.  Graves has received 12 honorary doctorates and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, as well as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.  Cited by Paul Goldberger, former New York Times critic, as “the most truly original voice American architecture has produced in some time,” Graves has received many prestigious awards, including the 1999 National Medal of Arts, the 2001 Gold Medal from the American Institute of Architects, and the 2010 Topaz Medallion from the American Institute of Architects and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.

Wally Schirra Oradell (1923 – 2007)

Wally Schirra was born in Hackensack and raised in Oradell, graduating from Dwight Morrow High School and attending the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He finished his BS in aeronautical engineering at the US Naval Academy. A trained fighter pilot, he flew more than 90 combat missions in the Korean War and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal for his service. Schirra was chosen as one of the original seven American astronauts and in 1962 became the fifth American in space. He is the only person to fly in all of America’s first three space programs – Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. He logged almost 300 hours in space and was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal posthumously. His wit and engaging personality manifested itself to the world when he played “Jingle Bells” on his harmonica while on a Gemini mission in space. After retiring from the service, he become a popular CBS News Consultant and he was co-anchor with Walter Cronkite and Arthur Cl Clarke in covering the first Apollo landing on the moon. In later years, Wally co-authored “The Real Space Cowboys” with Ed Buckbee and contributed to the best selling book “In the Shadow of the Moon.” He died on May 3, 2007.

Arts & Entertainment
The Arts & Entertainment Category includes musicians, singers, songwriters, actors & actresses, artists, dancers and those who work in the related fields.

Count Basie Red Bank (1904 - 1984)

William “Count” Basie was born in Red Bank in 1904, he is one of the most revered and popular jazz bandleaders of all time. The Count Basie Orchestra entertained audiences for almost a half century and included jazz legends such as Lester Young, Joe Williams, Billie Holiday and Tony Bennett. As Basie explained, he became the Count because there already was a Duke. His recordings earned him nine Grammy Awards plus such honors as the Kennedy Center Award, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, NEA Jazz Masters Award, Hollywood Walk of Fame Honors and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Basie has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame and now the New Jersey Hall of Fame. Not bad for a Kid from Red Bank who didn’t finish junior high school, but is still celebrated around the world.

Danny DeVito  Neptune/Asbury Park (1944 - )

Actor, director, producer Danny DeVito was born in Neptune and raised in Asbury Park. Graduating from Oratory Prep in Summit, DeVito then trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and launched his career in off-Broadway productions. His first major film role in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” paired him with longtime friend Jack Nicholson, but it was the TV hit “Taxi” that made him world famous. He has appeared in more than 60 films, currently stars in the acclaimed television series “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” and runs two production companies – Jersey Films and Jersey Television. Universally popular, Danny has been nominated for Golden Globe Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Satellite Awards and the Berlin International Film Festival’s Golden Bear Award. But for all the international acclaim Danny DeVito receives, we can’t think of better recognition that this induction into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

Jack Nicholson Neptune (1937 - )

Jack Nicholson was raised in Neptune and graduated from Manasquan High School before heading to California to pursue an acting career. He found initial success as a writer and director. A break landed him a part in “Easy Rider” and he never looked back, becoming a hugely successful actor, director and producer.  One of the most honored actors of all time, he has earned more Oscar nominations than any male actor, twelve, won three Academy Awards, sixteen Golden Globe Nominations with six Awards, a long list of critics groups’ awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. He is the only person to be in two State Halls of Fame, the California Hall of Fame and now the New Jersey Hall of Fame. We are proud to remind the world that Jack Nicholson was nurtured here in New Jersey.

Susan Sarandon  Edison (1946 - )

Award winning actress Susan Sarandon grew up in Edison the oldest of nine children and graduated from Edison High School. She earned a BA in Drama from Catholic University and in 1969 began an acting career that has made her internationally famous. Her early acting career included roles in the cult favorite “Rocky Horror Picture Snow,” “The Great Waldo Pepper” with Robert Redford and “The Witches of Eastwick” with fellow Hall of Fame inductee Jack Nicholson. She has received five Academy Award nominations and won Best Actress for her performance in “Dead Man Walking.” She has received multiple nominations for the Golden Globes, Emmy Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards among a long list of film and television honors. She provides narration on many documentaries, many dealing with complex social and political issues. In addition to her many critically acclaimed films, Sarandon is known for political activism and for support of progressive causes. She has been honored for her work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and received the Action against Hunger Humanitarian Award in 2006. A loyal New Jerseyan, Susan donated her time in support of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts’ Discover Jersey Arts Campaign which featured photographs by the exceptional Jersey photographer Timothy White.

Frankie Valli  Newark (1934 - )

Born in Newark, Frankie Valli has one of the most recognizable and distinctive singing voices in all of popular music. While his singing career began in the early 1950s, he didn’t achieve stardom until songwriter Bob Gaudio joined his group in 1959 and they became “The 4 Seasons.” As the lead singer for “The 4 Seasons,” Frankie had a long string of hits beginning with “Sherry” in 1962 and concluding with the blockbuster hit “December 1963 (Oh What a Night).” Valli has released a remarkable 29 Top 40 hits with The 4 Seasons and nine Top 40 hits as a solo artist. He is in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and was honored in 2008 with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Italian American Foundation. We can think of no more deserving Jersey Boy to be inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame than Frankie Valli.

Sports
The Sports Category is open not only to athletes, but also to coaches and others in the field of sports.

Larry Doby Paterson (1923 - 2003)

Larry Doby grew up in New Jersey and became the pride of Paterson. A star high school athlete, Larry joined the Newark Eagles in the Negro Leagues at only 17. After two years of military service during World War II, he signed with the Cleveland Indians just 11 weeks after Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers. As the American League’s first black player, Larry Doby endured bigotry and prejudice with class, becoming a seven-time All-Star, leading the Indians to a World Series title and finishing second in MVP voting in 1954. Later he would become only the second black manager in the Major Leagues. Widely respected as a talented athlete and manager, he had a profound influence on the game and was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998. Today’s induction into the New Jersey Hall of Fame shines a well deserved spotlight on a role model for the ages – Larry Doby.

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Carl Lewis Willingboro  (1961 - )

Carl Lewis is regarded as one of the greatest track and field stars of all time, and his story is inspirational. Carl grew up in Willingboro, guided by parents who were teachers and track coaches. Small and skinny, Carl was not a great athlete as a child, but had a dedication and determination that led him to achieve remarkable success. Today he is celebrated as one of the greatest Olympic stars of all time, winning four gold medals in the 1984 games and nine gold medals in four straight Olympics. He has been named World Athlete of the Decade, Olympic Athlete of the Century and was elected into the Track and Field Hall of Fame. Not bad for a South Jersey kid who was told he wouldn’t win many track meets. Carl continues to inspire people with his leadership, most recently tapped by the UN as a Goodwill Ambassador. New Jersey is proud to call Carl Lewis one of our own.

General
The General Category is a large category encompassing educators, military leaders, writers, poets, scholars, religious leaders, civil servants, politicians and others not specifically falling into the other categories.

Judy Blume  Elizabeth (1938 - )

With more than 80 million books sold and translated into 31 languages, Judy Blume is one of the most influential and best known authors of books for young readers. Growing up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Judy spent her childhood making up stories, a talent she turned into a remarkable career. Not only is she beloved by readers young and old, she is applauded by the critics who have bestowed many honors on her including the Library of Congress Living Legends Award, the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters and American Library Associations Lifetime Achievement Award. Judy also is a longtime advocate of intellectual freedom and works tireless to protect the freedom to read. She serves on many boards and foundations, including the National Coalition Against Censorship. Now, 28 books and many years later, the shy student from Elizabeth is now a member of the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

Justice William J. Brennan Newark (1908- 1997)

The son of Irish immigrants, William Brennan attended public school in Newark graduating from Barringer High School. Upon earning A Harvard law degree, Brennan returned to New Jersey and entered private practice at the firm of Pitney Hardin. After military service during World War II, he again headed back to the Garden State where he was appointed first to the Superior Court and then to the New Jersey Supreme Court. Although a Democrat, he was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by a Republican President in 1956 where he served until his retirement in 1990. An outspoken liberal, Justice Brennan wrote more than 1300 opinions, many of which championed individual rights and expanded the right of free speech. His success in forging consensus on divisive issues speaks not only to his intellect, but also to him as a person. The recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom is now also a member of the New Jersey Hall of Fame and we are proud to include him.

Philip Roth Newark (1933 - )

Philip Roth grew up in the Weequahic section of Newark, the second child of first-generation Jewish parents. Little did his high school classmates realize that the student whose yearbook caption read “A boy of real intelligence combined with wit and common sense” would go on to become one of the greatest writers of his generation. Readers of his more than two dozen novels often recognize people and places because Roth draws on his roots for inspiration. He has received just about every honor that can be bestowed on a writer, including the National Medal of Honor, two National Book Awards, two National Book Critics Circle Awards, three PEN/Faulkner Awards, the PEN/Nabokov Award, the PEN/Bellow Award, the Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal in Fiction and a Pulitzer Prize. But for all of his awards and fame, we’re sure there is no complaint to add New Jersey Hall of Fame to the list.