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

Clara Barton (Bordentown)
Born in 1821 in Massachusetts, Clara Barton moved to New Jersey while in her 20s. During her nine years as a teacher in Bordentown, she created New Jersey’s first free public school, based on her belief that education should be available to everyone. Attendance grew to 600 students under her leadership. With the start of the Civil War, Barton’s tireless work as a wartime nurse earned her the title “Angel of the Battlefield.” After the war, she founded the American Red Cross and devoted much of her later life furthering the rights of women. A teacher, nurse, activist and humanitarian, this famous New Jersey resident was one of the most decorated women of all time when she died in 1912.

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Thomas Edison (Newark; Menlo Park; West Orange)
Named “Man of the Millennium” by Time Magazine, Thomas Alva Edison was probably more responsible than anyone for creating the modern world. In all of history there was never an innovator quite like him. Inventors create single products or processes but innovators do not change the world like he did with the phonograph…the first commercially practical incandescent bulb…the first electric company…the first motion pictures…the Dictaphone…the mimeograph…the storage battery…all of which contributed to his reputation as the Man of the Millennium. Living more than half a century in the Garden State, Thomas Edison was revered the world over. We are proud he chose New Jersey for his home and his Lab as the incubator for him becoming the Father of Modern Technology, Father of Research & Development, Father of Electricity and Father of Innovation. “There’s a way to do it better.” he said. “Find it.” He certainly did that!

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Albert Einstein (Princeton)
Regarded as the most important scientist of the twentieth century, Einstein emigrated from Germany to New Jersey in 1933, joining the Institute for Advanced Study. He lived in Princeton for 22 years until his death in 1955. Awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize for Physics, Albert Einstein is best known for his theory of relativity and the ubiquitous formula E=MC². He challenged himself consistently as evidenced by his statement, “A person who never made a mistake, never tried anything new.” Universally recognized as one of the supreme intellects of all time, Einstein was named “Person of the Century” by Time Magazine in 1999.

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

Buzz Aldrin (Montclair)
Born and raised in Montclair, Buzz Aldrin distinguished himself in West Point and during the Korean War. Selected as a NASA astronaut, Dr. Aldrin earned the privilege to be part of the historic Apollo 11 flight where he and Neil Armstrong became the first humans to walk on the moon. He has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in addition to more than 50 other distinguished awards and medals. Dr. Aldrin continues to remain at the forefront of efforts to ensure a leading role for the United States in manned space exploration. Although he now makes his home in California, Buzz Aldrin has never forgotten his New Jersey roots.

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Malcolm Forbes (Far Hills; Princeton)
A graduate of the Lawrenceville School and Princeton University, Malcolm Forbes became as famous for his lifestyle as he was for his business acumen. Under his leadership, Forbes Magazine grew dramatically to become one of America’s most successful business magazines, enabling Forbes to expand his empire into real estate and other ventures. A longtime resident of Far Hills, Forbes served in the New Jersey Senate in the 1950s and ran twice for Governor. Always enjoying life to the fullest, Malcolm Forbes was a role model for philanthropy in his later years.

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General Robert Wood Johnson II (New Brunswick; Highland Park; Raritan)
Born in New Brunswick in 1893, Robert Wood Johnson has become as well known for his philanthropy as he is for his legendary business skills. The son of the founder of Johnson and Johnson, he provided the vision and leadership that took this New Jersey Company to the ranks of the great international corporations. His philosophy of corporate responsibility established a role model for future corporations, “We build not only structures in which men and women of the future will work, but also the patterns of society in which they will work.” Named by President Franklin Roosevelt to Brigadier General, Robert Wood Johnson was involved in identifying products needed by World War II troops, which led to J & J’s invention of duct tape, the homeowner’s favorite repair tool. One of New Jersey’s great philanthropists, General Johnson left the bulk of his 400 million dollar estate to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The General is an unparalleled role model for all of us.

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

Frank Sinatra (Hoboken)
Born in Hoboken in 1915, Francis Albert Sinatra became one of New Jersey’s best known celebrities. Singing on radio, records, film, television, and concert stages the world over, “Ol’ Blue Eyes” brought style, sophistication, and unprecedented attention to the finest standards in the Great American Songbook. And, it all began with a four-cent ferry ride from New Jersey to New York City. Sinatra is considered by many as the finest male popular song vocalist of all time, but his list of accomplishments goes well beyond. A beloved entertainer for six decades, Sinatra achievements earned him three Oscars, two Golden Globes, 10 personal Grammys (and a total of 21 including those for his albums), an Emmy, a Cecile B. DeMille Award, a Peabody, and he was recognized at the Kennedy Center Honors in 1983. These are only a sampling of the awards and honors that suggest the prominence this New Jersey native son achieved in music, film, television and business. A generous charitable contributor, he was the recipient of the prestigious Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award by the Motion Picture Society of America in 1971. The Hoboken post office was renamed in his honor in 2002 He was, and remains, the single most important influence in the history of American popular music.

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Bruce Springsteen (Freehold; Colts Neck; Asbury Park)
Few artists have tapped into the thoughts and emotions of the average person better than Bruce Springsteen. With eighteen Grammy awards, an Oscar, and untold record sales to his credit, Bruce is among the most successful entertainers of our time. His ballads and anthems cross all generations and speak to all people. He is, in the truest sense of the word, a hero to millions of working class Americans. Born in Long Branch and most frequently associated with Asbury Park, Bruce exudes a love for New Jersey than is evident in his music, and his generous support for causes across our great state.

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Meryl Streep (Bernardsville)
Born in Summit and raised in Bernardsville, Meryl Streep is considered by many to be the greatest of all living film actresses. Born in Summit and raised in Bernardsville, Streep was not only an excellent student, but a mainstay in high school productions. Educated at Vassar and at Yale, she made her breakthrough with Joseph Papp’s New York Shakespeare Theatre and has never looked back. With more Academy Award nominations than anyone, this “Jersey Girl” has earned two Oscars, six Golden Globes, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Grammy nomination and a BAFTA Award. Although it seems she is always working, she actually concentrates most of her time on her family and her charity work. She was awarded France’s Order of Arts and Letters and we are proud to induct her into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

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

Yogi Berra (Montclair)
A Montclair resident since 1959, Lawrence Peter Berra is one of the most beloved baseball players in history. This New York Yankees catcher played in 14 World Series, holds numerous World Series records, played on 10 championship teams, was selected to 15 All-Star Games and won three most valuable player awards. Yogi is one of only a handful of managers to win pennants in both the American and National Leagues. He was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. His Yogi Berra Museum on the campus of Montclair University is a very popular destination for families and school trips. Yogi may have grown up in St. Louis, but he as been adopted as one of New Jersey’s favorite sons.

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Bill Bradley (Princeton)
New Jersey’s best known scholar-athlete, Bill Bradley was a three-time All-American basketball player at Princeton University and 1965 National Player of the Year. Graduating with honors, Bradley was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University after which he returned to lead the New York Knicks during their glory days in the late sixties and early seventies. Elected to the Hall of Fame, Dollar Bill used his fame and intellect to become a U.S. Senator from New Jersey. Now out of politics, Bill Bradley works as an investment banker and consultant whose views are continuously sought. He is an exceptional role model for athletes because of his drive for perfection not only on the court, but also in politics and in business.

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Vince Lombardi (Englewood)
One of the most successful football coaches in history, Vince Lombardi began his career at St. Cecilia’s High School in Englewood, where he spent nine years. His success led him to the college ranks and eventually to the New York Giants where he spent four years. In 1958, he became head coach for the Green Bay Packers where he took a perennial loser and transformed it into the standard by which all other teams are measured. His philosophy and motivational skills still inspire people today and he is legendary for his legacy of hard work, perseverance and dedication. Elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971 this New Jersey High School coach became the greatest head coach of all time.

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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.

Toni Morrison (Princeton)
Born in Ohio, Toni Morrison has carved out a career as one of this country’s most popular and respected authors. From 1989 until her retirement in 2006, Professor Morrison held the Robert F. Goheen Chair in the Humanities at Princeton University. Named one of the 30 most powerful women in America in 2001, Toni Morrison has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the National Book Critics Circle Award and a Grammy. Some of her best known novels are The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon and Beloved.

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General Norman Schwarzkopf (Trenton)
Born in Trenton and raised in Lawrenceville, Norman Schwarzkopf went on to become one of the most distinguished military leaders of the 20th Century. Before he became the very visible commander during the Gulf War, General Schwarzkopf had very distinguished military career, which took him to a high position in the Pentagon. He was beloved by his men, no doubt because of his philosophy, “It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle.” His awards are too numerous to mention, but include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Purple Heart and France’s Legion of Honor. The son of the head of the New Jersey State Police, General Schwarzkopf makes us proud of the great men and women in our Armed Forces.

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Harriet Tubman (Cape May)
Born in Maryland, Harriet Tubman became a leading African-American abolitionist who helped liberate scores of slaves through a network of antislavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. Using Cape May as her base, she led expeditions into Maryland, bringing slaves to freedom and serving as an inspiration for others to escape. She was the first American woman to plan and lead a military operation, a raid that freed more than 700 slaves. While she spent only a few years in New Jersey, we are proud that her reputation as an icon of freedom and courage began here and proud to have her so well known by schoolchildren across the state.