Wynona Lipman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wynona Moore Lipman
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| Member of the New Jersey Senate | |
| In office January 11, 1972 – May 9, 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Multi-member district |
| Succeeded by | Sharpe James |
| Constituency | 11th District (at-large) (1972–1974) 29th District (1974–1999) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1923 LaGrange, Georgia |
| Died | May 9, 1999 (aged 75–76) Newark, New Jersey |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Matthew Lipman |
| Residence | Newark, New Jersey |
| Alma mater | Talladega College Atlanta University Columbia University |
| Occupation | Professor, politician |
Wynona Moore Lipman (born in 1923, died in 1999) was an important American politician. She was a member of the Democratic Party. Wynona Lipman made history in 1971 when she became the first African-American woman elected to the New Jersey Senate. She served for 27 years, which was the longest time anyone had served in the Senate when she passed away.
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Early Life and Education
Wynona Moore was born in LaGrange, Georgia in 1923. Her parents, John Wesley Moore Sr. and Annabelle Torian Moore, were both very educated. Her father owned a pharmacy and also worked as a bricklayer.
Wynona and her three siblings went to public schools in LaGrange. Their mother also taught them at home. Wynona finished high school at just 16 years old.
College Years
After high school, Wynona went to Talladega College. She studied French there. She then earned a master's degree in French studies from Atlanta University.
After getting her master's, she started teaching French. She taught at Morehouse College in Atlanta. This was an all-male historically black college. While at Morehouse, she even tutored Martin Luther King Jr..
Studying Abroad
Wynona received a special grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. This allowed her to study for her Ph.D. at Columbia University. While at Columbia, she got a Fulbright fellowship. This scholarship let her study for two years in Paris, France, at the famous Sorbonne.
In Paris, she met Matthew Lipman, who was also studying there. They got married in a small ceremony in Paris. After their marriage, they returned to the United States.
Teaching Career
Wynona finished her Ph.D. at Columbia in 1952. She went back to teaching French at Morehouse College. Later, she moved to New York City to be with her husband. She taught at Elisabeth Irwin High School in Greenwich Village.
The couple then moved to Montclair, New Jersey. After their two children, Karyne Ann and William, were born, Wynona taught part-time at Montclair High School. She later became a professor at Essex County College.
Political Career and Achievements
Wynona Lipman became very involved in local politics in Montclair. She was a Democratic committeeperson. Later, she became the town chairman for the Democratic Party.
Serving Essex County
In 1968, she won a seat on the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders. This board helps manage the county government. In 1971, her fellow Freeholders chose her to be their president.
Making History in the Senate
Instead of running for Freeholder again, Wynona Lipman decided to run for the New Jersey State Senate. She won her election in 1971. She beat the Republican Senator Milton Waldor by a close vote.
After new district maps were drawn, she moved to Newark, New Jersey. She ran in the 29th legislative district. She easily won re-election many times, never getting less than 83% of the votes.
Wynona Lipman was often the only woman serving in the Senate. She was nicknamed "Steel Magnolia" because she was strong and determined. At the time, the New Jersey State House did not even have a women's restroom. A state trooper would stand guard outside the men's room when she needed to use it.
In the Senate, Lipman worked on important issues. She served on the Governor's Advisory Council on AIDS. She also worked on the Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect.
Later Life and Legacy
Wynona Lipman and Matthew Lipman divorced in 1974. Wynona continued to live and serve in Newark.
She passed away from cancer on May 9, 1999. She was survived by her daughter, Karyne Anne Lipman. Her son, William, had passed away from cancer in 1984. After her death, Sharpe James was chosen to take her place in the Senate.
Wynona Lipman was honored for her important work. In 1998, she was inducted into New Jersey's "Women's Hall of Fame." In 2003, Kean University named the Wynona Moore Lipman Ethnic Studies Center after her. The Wynona Lipman Child Advocacy Center, which helps children who have been abused, is also named in her honor.
