Highlighting women from across Queens - from Long Island City to Jamaica - whose contributions reshaped their neighborhoods. These educators, activists, and public servants broke barriers to create systems of change. Their names mark more than physical places; they represent legacies of collective action. We invite you to explore these stories and consider how we choose which contributions to celebrate in our public spaces.

In 2026, Queens Public Library is celebrating its 130-year anniversary! During Women’s History Month, Queens Public Library is partnering with the Queens Name Explorer project to honor the brave and brilliant women, with named places in Queens, who have built, shaped, and sustained us for 130 years! From advocates to volunteers, from librarians to gardeners, these women embody the imagination, leadership, and commitment to public service that has made QPL the vibrant and essential institution it is today.

Lt. Col. Haldane King (1921-2013) was a Tuskegee Airman who served in WWII. Born in Brooklyn, he was the sixth of seven children of Charles and Estelle (Stansberry) King. King earned a basketball scholarship to Long Island University, where he played on championship teams under Coach Clair Bee. In early 1942, he volunteered for military service in World War II and entered pilot training in Tuskegee, Alabama. He became part of the first class (43J) of African-American bomber pilots in the Army Air Corps. Trained at Tuskegee in 1943, King flew U.S. planes over Europe and North Africa. He recalled that military service presented significant obstacles for Black men. "The whole idea at the time was that you weren’t qualified to be an officer of the United States Air Force," King stated. "You were a Tuskegee Airman, which didn’t mean anything to them. You couldn’t get into the officers’ club." While white officers enjoyed refreshments between flights, King had to remain in his plane or bring his own food. After the war, King returned to New York and became one of the first African Americans to join the New York Fire Department. In 1950, he was recalled into the newly integrated Air Force and served in Germany as part of the Army of Occupation following WWII. His military career then took him and his family to Maine, Germany, California, and eventually the Pentagon, where he retired from active service. He later moved to Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and frequently shared his military experiences at local schools and community events.

Abigail Adams (1744-1818) had the distinction of being the first Second Lady of the United States and the second First Lady. She was also the mother of the sixth President, John Quincy Adams. A political influencer, she is remembered for the many letters of advice she exchanged with her husband, John Adams, during the Continental Congresses and throughout his political career. In 1776, Abigail wrote her most famous letter, exhorting the Founding Fathers to “remember the ladies.” She added, “Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember all men would be tyrants if they could.”

Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) was born in the Italian seaport of Genoa in 1451, to a family of wool weavers. He went to sea from an early age, and was an experienced sailor by his twenties. In 1476 Columbus moved to Lisbon, Portugal, and for many years attempted to gain support for a journey he was planning to find new trade routes to the Far East. Eventually Ferdinand and Isabella, the King and Queen of Spain, agreed to finance him. He is known for his 1492 ‘discovery’ of the 'new world' of the Americas on board his ship Santa Maria. In actual fact, Columbus did not discover North America. He was the first European to sight the Bahamas archipelago and then the island later named Hispaniola, now split into Haiti and the Dominican Republic. On his subsequent voyages he went farther south, to Central and South America. He never got close to what is now called the United States. Columbus called all the people he met in the islands ‘Indians’, because he was sure that he had reached the Indies. This initial encounter opened up the 'New World' to European colonization, which would come to have a devastating impact on indigenous populations. Columbus died in 1506, still believing that he had found a new route to the East Indies. Today his historic legacy as a daring explorer who discovered the New World has been challenged. His voyages launched centuries of European exploration and colonization of the American continents. His encounters also triggered centuries of exploitation of Indigenous Peoples. The City acquired this land on July 19, 1910, and since the 1920s Italian-Americans of Queens have gathered here to celebrate Columbus. The Board of Aldermen, on April 1, 1930, named the site for the famed explorer. The Italian Chamber of Commerce installed a bronze tablet here on October 12, 1937, indicating its intention to build a full monument to Columbus. In 1938, with funds from the Works Progress Administration (WPA), Italian sculptor Angelo Racioppi was commissioned to create the seven foot tall bronze of a youthful Christopher Columbus standing in front of a ship’s tiller.

Arthur O’Meally (1935-2022) dedicated over 40 years to volunteering and service in his community. He was an active member of the North Flushing Civic Association and the Flushing chapter of the NAACP. He was deeply committed to preserving historical sites and green spaces in New York. As a trustee of the Queens Historical Society, he served as vice president of operations. He was a certified Citizen Pruner for the NYC Parks Department and helped care for the Wyckoff-Snediker and Moore-Jackson cemeteries, two of the oldest burial sites in Queens. For his preservation work, he was honored with a Declaration of Honor from then-Queens Borough President Claire Shulman in 1999 and a Civic Achievement Award in 2005 during Black History Month. O’Meally was born at Mary Immaculate Hospital in Jamaica, New York, to Gladys L. and Vernon Edward O'Meally. Edward, was born in the British West Indies and worked as a porter after coming to the city. Arthur was drafted in 1958 to serve in the U.S. Army, where he served in the 1st Missile Battalion, 39th Artillery, attaining the rank of Specialist 4. He was stationed in Mainz, Germany, during the Cold War. When he returned to the states, he dated Millicent Chisolm, whom he married in 1961. They remained married for over 55 years. Arthur worked at York Industries, where he was eventually promoted to plant manager. The family moved from Jamaica, Queens and purchased a home in Flushing in 1976. Millicent O’Meally also has a long history of devoted community service, having served as a member of Queens Community Board 7 for 36 years before retiring in 2024, and as a member of the Flushing NAACP.

On May 29, 1919, Nancy Leo, the oldest of five children, was born in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Her parents, Francesco Leo and Irene Fiore, emigrated from Bari, Italy, in 1917. After working on the railroad and then in the ice and coal business for some time, Francesco went into the food business, opening his first store in Brooklyn, on Lorimer and Skillman Avenues. Nancy and her sisters, Mary, Lily and Grace, and their brother, Al, attended P.S. 132 in Brooklyn. They often came to Corona, Queens, for "vacation" since Corona at that time was still mainly farms and countryside. In the early 1930s, the family moved to Corona where Nancy's parents set down roots and opened Leo's Latticini, later to become known as "Mama's," an affectionate nickname given to Nancy when she was raising her daughters. Nancy Leo worked at Leo's Latticini alongside her parents for some time. Then, during World War II, she became one of the first pioneer women to help in the war effort. In November 1942, Nancy completed the airplane assembly course at Delehanty Institute. She then joined the ranks of women riveters working for American Export Airlines on some of the first non-stop transatlantic flight planes carrying passengers, cargo and mail overseas. A few years later, Nancy took a vacation to visit her aunts in Italy and met her future husband, Frank DeBenedittis, who was born in Corato, Bari, Italy. They were married on August 29, 1948, in Rome's St. Peter's Basillica. Years later, when Nancy's parents retired, she and Frank took over the family store and continued in the food business. They worked very hard serving the community while raising their loving family. They had three daughters, Carmela, Irene and Marie, all of whom attended St. Leo's Elementary School in Corona. Carmela, the oldest, married Oronzo Lamorgese and owns Leo's Ravioli and Pasta Shop in Corona. Their daughter, Marie Geiorgina, who is married to Fiore DiFelo, is a teacher at P.S. 16 in Corona. They have one child, Mama's first great-grandchild. Irene, a former New York City public school teacher, joined the family business in order to keep the family traditions alive. Marie, though the youngest, has been in the store the longest. She, like her mother and grandmother, is very business-minded and also an excellent cook who strives for quality in all she does. In 1985, Frank, who was a major part of the family business, passed away at the age of 73. He was sorely missed by everyone. After Frank's passing, Nancy, with her daughters, decided to continue on with the family business and for years Nancy became known as "Mama" to everyone. After so many years of dedication to family and community, Mama passed away in 2009 at the age of 90. Upon her passing, there was a true expression of love and appreciation by all her patrons, neighbors and friends for all she had done for the community. When many of the original Corona residents moved away to "better neighborhoods," Mama stayed and lived and worked with the community's people. She instilled in all her family a sense of discipline, respect for each other and good character. She was truly a wonderful role model for all. Throughout her lifetime, Nancy saw immense change. From ice and coal to refrigeration and gas heat, from radio and television all the way to today's world of computers. She made everyone around her appreciate all the little things in life that are special and "Mama," Nancy DeBenedittis, was truly a special person.

George Washington Carver (1864-1943) was well-known for being ahead of his time in the world of natural science. He sought to find cash crop alternatives to discourage straining labor of cotton picking. In addition, he invented tools and methods to make agriculture more efficient. As a Black man born in the early 1860s, Carver faced significant barriers to obtaining his education and pursuing his research interests. He developed his understanding of agricultural labor for three years on his own plot of land before becoming the first Black student at Iowa State University. After graduating Iowa State in 1896 with a Master of Science Degree, he went on to teach agriculture at Tuskegee Institute. Carver taught for 47 years passing down lessons such as crop rotation and other farmer techniques. Carver was a prodigy in learning, specifically curious as to the different uses of produce like peanuts, and the invention of new products. His many contributions include glue, the Jesup Wagon, a vehicle to carry agricultural exhibits to town, instant coffee, shaving cream, and 325 uses for peanuts. George Washington Carver High School for the Sciences in particular was established after the closing of Springfield High School by the NYC school board in 2007. Springfield High School became an educational campus housing George Washington Carver, as well as Excelsior Preparatory High School, and Queens Preparatory Academy. G.W.C. High School is most known for maintaining Springfield’s veterinary program.

My husband, Joseph Imparato, better known in Long Island City as Joe Imp, was a native of LIC, and he set an example for everyone to follow. He helped the elderly, whether it was bringing them shopping, taking them to the doctors or shoveling snow. He did this for them on his day off. His life was dedicated to helping his community. He opened his restaurant on Jackson Avenue, Joe Imp's, which introduced many people to the area. Saint Mary’s Church was an extremely important part of Joe’s life. His dedication to the people in his community was evident by his dedication to the church. If there were those who couldn’t afford a tree for Christmas and he found out about it, he would buy a tree for them and decorate it, put presents under the tree and would never take credit for doing it. Joe wasn’t only a gem to me, he was a LIC gem. That’s why my husband Joe deserved the honor of having a street named after him.

Arthur Hammerstein (1872 - 1955) was an American producer, songwriter, dramatist, playwright and theater manager. Hammerstein was born in New York City to theater impresario and composer Oscar Hammerstein I. In 1908 Arthur started working on becoming a producer, and in 1910 embarked on his first production, the operetta “Naughty Marietta.”  Arthur's brother Willie Hammerstein died in June 1914, and Arthur took over management of the family's Victoria Theater; however, the theater was not financially viable and closed the next year. Hammerstein went on to produce almost 30 musicals in 40 years in show business including Rudolf Friml operettas, and collaborations with his nephew, Oscar Hammerstein II, who went on to fame as part of the team Rodgers and Hammerstein. Hammerstein built what is today the Ed Sullivan Theater, which he operated from 1927 to 1931. In 1924, Hammerstein built an expansive home for his bride, actress Dorothy Dalton in Beechhurst, a neighborhood in Whitestone, Queens - bordered by the East River and the Cross Island Parkway. During the era of silent movies, Beechurst was a go-to location for famous stars including actress Mary Pickford, nicknamed “America’s Sweetheart” during the silent film era, as well as the Marx Brothers and W.C. Fields. He named the neo-Tudor home, designed by architect Dwight James Baum, “Wildflower Estate,” after his longest-running play. Hammerstein did not enjoy Wildflower long; in 1930 he had to sell it to support his theater operations. It became a yacht club and, and later a restaurant “Ripples on the Water,” which closed in the 1980s. The house was designated a landmark in 1982. The home was nearly destroyed by arson in 1994, then sat abandoned and empty for a number of years. The house was fully restored in 2000, and now is part of the Wildflower Estates condominiums. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Stephen P. Russell (1961 - 2001) was a firefighter with Engine Co. 55 in Little Italy. Steve and his fellow firefighters were investigating a gas leak nearby on September 11, 2001. They rushed to the towers and joined other FDNY units in evacuating those moving down from the upper floors. Russel was born and raised in Arverne (Rockaway Beach), New York, and lived on Jamaica Bay. He loved the water, and was a master scuba diver, sailor, and an avid water-skier. Being a firefighter was his passion - he lived‚ worked and slept ‘firefighter.’ Before becoming a firefighter‚ he worked as a carpenter and was a member of the carpenter’s union; he built his own furniture and many items for the firehouse as well. He had even built a display case which has now become a memorial to him and his four fellow firefighters who died at the World Trade Center.

Rep. Benjamin S. Rosenthal (D-NY) represented northeast Queens in the U.S. Congress from 1962 until his death in January 1983. Born in Manhattan, Rosenthal attended New York City public schools, Long Island University and City College before serving in the U.S. Army during WWII. He received his law degree from Brooklyn Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1949. In 1962, Rosenthal won a special election to the Eighty-Seventh Congress to fill the vacancy caused when Rep. Lester Holtzman won a seat on the state Supreme Court; Rosenthal was then reelected to the 11 succeeding Congresses. During his congressional tenure, Rosenthal was an early opponent of the Vietnam War and a champion of consumer protection causes. He was a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and chairman of the Subcommittee for Commerce, Consumer, and Monetary Affairs.

Ferdinand Foch (1851 – 1929), was a French general and the marshal of France and who served as Supreme Allied Commander during the First World War. He is generally considered the leader most responsible for the Allied victory. Foch was born in Tarbes, France, his father was a civil servant. When the Franco-Prussian War broke out in 1870, the 17-year-old Foch enlisted in the French 4th Infantry Regiment in 1868. He entered the artillery corps in 1873 and from 1885 taught military strategy at the war college, becoming its commandant in 1908. After World War I broke out, he commanded an army detachment and planned the strategy that enabled Joseph-Jacques-Césaire Joffre to win the First Battle of the Marne. After commanding at the Battles of Ypres and the Somme, Foch was appointed chief of the general staff in 1917, adviser to the Allied armies, and then in 1918, commander in chief of all Allied armies, winning the battlefield against Erich Ludendorff. When Germany was forced to ask for an armistice, the conditions were dictated by the recently promoted Marshal Foch. Considered the leader most responsible for the Allied victory, he was showered with honors after the war and was buried near Napoleon in the Invalides.

Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. (1932-1983), a public servant dedicated to his homeland, the Philippines, served as a senator and was a candidate in the country's 1973 presidential election. However, when Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in 1972, the election was cancelled. Aquino was imprisoned and eventually sentenced to death in 1977. His sentence was commuted to exile in 1980, allowing him to leave for the United States for medical treatment. He remained there until his assassination on August 21, 1983, as he disembarked from his plane at Manila Airport. Political pressure stemming from the incident forced Marcos to hold new elections, in which Corazon Aquino, Benigno's widow, was elected president.

Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and influential figures in jazz, known for both his trumpet improvisations and his distinctive singing voice. He also broke down numerous racial divides in the music and entertainment worlds, becoming the first Black performer to get featured billing in a major Hollywood film ("Pennies From Heaven," 1936) and the first Black host of a national radio show (Fleischmann's Yeast Show, 1937). Born in New Orleans in 1901, Armstrong grew up impoverished in a racially segregated city. He dropped out of school in fifth grade to work, and developed a close relationship with a local Jewish family that gave him odd jobs and nurtured his love of music. By the age of 11, Armstrong wound up in the Colored Waif’s Home for Boys, where he joined the band and studied the cornet in earnest. Upon his release from the home in 1914, he began working as a musician on Mississippi riverboats and other local venues. His reputation skyrocketed, and by the early 1920s he moved north, performing and recording with jazz bands in Chicago and New York. Throughout the 1920s and '30s, Armstrong made dozens of records with his own and many other ensembles, toured extensively, and began performing in Broadway productions and movies. After some business and health setbacks, and in response to changing musical tastes, Armstrong scaled his group down to a six-piece combo in the 1940s and resumed touring internationally, recording albums and appearing in movies. Some of his biggest popular hits came in the later years of his career, including "Hello Dolly" (1964) and "What A Wonderful World" (1967). His grueling schedule took its toll on his heart and kidneys and in 1968 he was forced to take time off to recuperate, but he began performing again in 1970. Armstrong died in his sleep in July 1971, just a few months after his final engagement at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. Armstrong and his fourth wife, Lucille Wilson, purchased their home in Corona in 1943, shortly after they were married, and lived there for the remainder of their lives. After Lucille’s passing in 1983, she willed the home and its contents to the city of New York, which designated the City University of New York, Queens College to administer it. The house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976 and a New York City Landmark in 1988. The archives became accessible in the 1990s, and the historic house opened for public tours in 2003. It also now serves as a venue for concerts and educational programs.

Sarah Willets Meyer (1880-1939) (also spelled “Sara”) was a member of the Willets family, a clan that figured prominently in the early history of Queens after making their fortune in the mid-1800s in the whaling industry. In 1850, Robert Willets (1825-1889), Sarah’s grandfather, built a home on a 200-acre estate in what is now Bayside. Adjoined to Willets Point (now Fort Totten), the homestead became known as Shore Acres, and it was there that Sarah was raised and made her home. In 1939, she generously donated a portion of her family estate to New York City to allow for the construction of a segment of the Cross Island Parkway, which was part of the broader Belt Parkway project. Sarah was the last of her family to live at Shore Acres. After her death, the property was sold and, by the early 1960s, demolished. Sarah’s father, Gardiner Howland Leavitt, hailed from an affluent background and served for a period as president of Flushing Gas and Light. Her mother, Amelia Willets Leavitt, was one of two daughters of Robert Willets. When Robert died in 1889, Amelia inherited Shore Acres and the surrounding estate, which then passed to Sarah in 1923. On October 8, 1902, Sarah married Charles Garrison Meyer, the son of real estate developer Cord Meyer. Special cars were attached to the Long Island Rail Road to bring guests to their ceremony and reception, which took place at Shore Acres and included some 600 attendees. The following week, the newlyweds sailed for Gibraltar and Europe for their honeymoon. Together, they had four children: Margaret, Charles Jr., Gardiner, and S. Willets. Shore Acres was considered a high society showplace, and it was the site of many festivities over the course of its heyday in the Gay 90s, when Sarah’s parents hosted a variety of grand balls and masquerades. Sarah and Charles continued this tradition, offering society events and benefits, such as a 400-guest ladies’ card party fundraiser on June 19, 1929, that Sarah held for the North Shore Centre of the Family Welfare Society. On March 31, 1939, Sarah died at her Manhattan residence at 800 Park Avenue, and she and her husband, Charles, are buried in Flushing Cemetery. In recognition of her gift of land to complete the highway construction, the City installed a bronze plaque on a wall under the Cross Island Parkway at Bell Boulevard near Fort Totten. The plaque reads: “In grateful recognition of the gift by Sara Willets Meyer of the land on which this bridge and a portion of the Belt Parkway have been built. — Anno Domini MCMXXXIX”

Joseph William Ricevuto (1933 – 2021), a longtime Jackson Heights resident and civic leader, was a beloved member of the community. Ricevuto was born and raised in the Bronx and moved to Jackson Heights in 1960. He served in the United States Army and fought in the Korean War. He later established William Hair Stylist barbershop on the corner of 37th Avenue and 86th Street, where he worked until retiring in 2002, and cut hair on a part time basis thereafter. He was known for his years of civic leadership in the Jackson Heights community. He was the long-time president and organizer of the Men and Women's Club of Jackson Heights, a group that helped address the isolation older adults often suffer by bringing them together regularly for a warm meal and conversation. Ricevuto was also the president of the Jackson Heights Beautification Groups Garden Club. As president, he planted flowers along Jackson Heights' 37th Avenue year after year, thereby beautifying the neighborhood's commercial corridor. Ricevuto regularly participated in the March of Dimes, raising thousands of dollars to support women and infant health. He loved to entertain children, which is why he marched in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade dressed as a clown for many years. Ricevuto was a devout Roman Catholic and was active as a lay leader in the Church. He was a proud member of the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic War Veterans and the Holy Name Society. He also served as an usher at St. Joan of Arc Church, his local parish in Jackson Heights.

Gwen Ifill (1955-2016) was a trailblazing journalist who covered the White House, Congress and national election campaigns. She was the first Black woman to anchor a national TV public affairs show, Washington Week. Though she held positions with The Washington Post, The New York Times and NBC, she spent most of her career at PBS. She worked at PBS NewsHour for 17 years, and along with Judy Woodruff, was on the first all-woman anchor team on network nightly news. Ifill was born in Jamaica, Queens, and lived in several different cities throughout New England, Pennsylvania and New York, due to her father’s work as a minister. She attended Simmons College in Boston and majored in communications. Her first journalism experience was as an intern at the Boston Herald newspaper in her senior year of college, and she subsequently began working at the newspaper full-time in 1977. Until her untimely death from cancer at the age of 61, Ifill had a prolific career as a journalist for more than 30 years. The former Railroad Park was renamed Gwen Ifill Park on June 16, 2021.

Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911) was a newspaper editor and publisher who helped to establish the model for modern journalism. One of the most influential journalists in the United States, he campaigned against corruption and abuse of power in government and business while championing the interests of working people. In the 1890s, fierce rivalry between William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal and Pulitzer’s New York World led both newspapers to rely on sensationalized reporting to capture public attention, a practice that became known as yellow journalism. Later in his career and through his will, Pulitzer provided funds for the establishment of Columbia University’s School of Journalism, which opened in 1912, and created the Pulitzer Prizes, awarded annually since 1917 to honor excellence in journalism, literature, and the arts. He was born in Makó, Hungary, to Philip Pulitzer, a grain merchant, and Elize (Berger) Pulitzer. Educated by tutors and in private schools, Pulitzer grew up in Budapest. Philip’s death in 1858 brought financial hardship to the family, and, in 1864, Joseph came to the United States to fight for the Union Army during the Civil War. He moved to St. Louis in 1868, where he began working as a reporter on the Westliche Post, a German-language newspaper. By 1878, he had gained control of two newspapers, the Post and the Dispatch, merging them to form the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. That same year, he married Kate Davis; the couple had seven children, five of whom survived to adulthood. In 1883, ill health brought Pulitzer to New York City, where he purchased The World newspaper (aka The New York World) from financier Jay Gould. Under Pulitzer’s leadership, the paper achieved the largest circulation in the country. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for New York State in 1884, where he served one year of his term. In 1890, due to failing health, he stepped down from the paper’s editorship but continued to oversee its editorial direction. Pulitzer died on October 29, 1911, while aboard his yacht in Charleston Harbor, SC. Built in 1954 and named in Pulitzer’s honor, I.S. 145 Joseph Pulitzer Magnet School of Innovation and Applied Learning is located in Jackson Heights at 33-34 80th Street.

Harriet (Zeamans) Kupferberg (1924–2008) and Kenneth Maurice Kupferberg (1919–1993) were dedicated philanthropists who were influential figures in their Flushing community. Kenneth was a businessman and research physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project, the U.S. government research program in World War II that led to the development of the atomic bomb. Harriet was an educator and community leader. Together, the couple were advocates for the preservation of Holocaust history, and Harriet’s gift of $1 million to Queensborough Community College in 2006, given in both their names, helped to endow the Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Center. Located on the Queensborough campus, the Center uses the lessons of the Holocaust to educate current and future generations about the ramifications of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping. Kenneth was born to Romanian immigrant parents who came to the United States in 1919 and settled in Flushing in 1926. His father, Charles Kupferberg, was a cabinetmaker, and his mother, Anna (Weiss) Kupferberg, a homemaker. One of seven children, Kenneth graduated from Flushing High School in 1937 and was in the first graduating class of Queens College in 1941, majoring in physics. He attended Columbia University for a period until he was drafted. Later, he was assigned to the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos, New Mexico, where he was joined on the top-secret work by his twin brother, Max, and another brother, Jesse. Eventually, Kenneth received a master’s and doctorate from New York University, where he taught physics while pursuing advanced degrees. In 1942, along with his brothers Max, Jesse, and Jack, he founded the Flushing-based Kepco, Inc., an electronics manufacturing business. Kenneth held 14 patents in the field of regulated power supplies, and he was serving as director at Kepco at the time of his death in 1993. A native of Queens, Harriet was the daughter of Flushing residents Harold Roscoe Zeamans and Lilly Silverstein Zeamans. She attended PS 20 and Bayside High School. Sixteen when World War II started, Harriet witnessed her father work to help extricate Jews from Eastern Europe in the years prior to the beginning of the conflict. Harriet received a degree in education from New York University and a master’s from Queens College. She went on to teach at Horace Mann Lincoln School in the Bronx and in the Great Neck Public School System. An active member of her community, she served as president of the Long Island Federation of Women’s Clubs and the Flushing Council Women’s Association, and as secretary to the Flushing Hospital’s community advisory board. For 36 years, Harriet was a member of the Queensborough Community College Fund Board. Harriet and Kenneth were founding members of the Temple Beth Sholom in Flushing, and Harriet also served as a board member. As a couple, they were also involved in the restoration of the John Bowne House in Flushing and served as trustees. Harriet died in 2008, and, at the time of her death, she was survived by children Anne, Sarah, and Mark, and eight grandchildren. The opening ceremony for the Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Center took place on October 19, 2009, and the Center is located at 222-05 56th Avenue.

David Norman Dinkins (1927-2020), the first Black mayor of New York City, was inaugurated on January 1, 1990 and served until January 31, 1993. Dinkins was born in Trenton, New Jersey, and grew up in Trenton and Harlem. After graduating from high school, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps, earning the Congressional Gold Medal. He earned an undergraduate degree at Howard University, then attended Brooklyn Law School, graduating in 1956. He practiced law privately from 1956 to 1975. He represented the 78th District in the New York State Assembly in 1966, and served as president of the New York City Board of Elections from 1972 to 1973. He served as a city clerk for ten years. On his third run, he was elected Manhattan borough president in 1985, serving until 1989. Elected the 106th mayor of New York City on November 7, 1989, Dinkins defeated three-term incumbent mayor Ed Koch and two other challengers in the Democratic primary and Republican nominee Rudy Giuliani in the general election. Economic decline and racial tensions, including the Crown Heights riot of 1991, led to Dinkins's defeat by Republican Rudy Giuliani in the 1993 election. Dinkins was a professor of professional practice at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs from 1994 until his death, served on numerous boards, and remained active in Democratic politics. Highlights of his administration included the cleanup of Times Square, the Beacon Schools program, the Civilian Complaint Review Board, and the "Safe Streets, Safe City" plan. Dinkins was responsible for several initiatives that continue to bring significant revenue to New York City: the 99-year lease signed with the USTA National Tennis Center for the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, Fashion Week, Restaurant Week, and Broadway on Broadway.

Christian Hoobs (1869 - 1917) served the Broad Channel community as a volunteer fire fighter as well as a civic-minded businessman. He helped build both the Broad Channel Volunteer Fire Department (BCVFD) and St. Virgilius Church buildings, both of which are still standing. In December 1912, Hoobs was elected the fourth Chief of the BCVFD, holding the office until his untimely death at age 47. On June 14 1917, while eating dinner at the dining pavilion he owned, Hoobs heard the fire bell ring. He hurried to lead his men into the fire, but experienced a fatal heart attack, becoming the first and only member of the department to suffer a Line of Duty death. The intersection that now bears Hoobs' name is adjacent to both the Fire Department and St. Virgilius Church.

Arthur Hayes (1923-1997) was an active member of Community Board 3, President of the East Elmhurst-Corona Civic Association, Inc., First Vice-President of the Jackson Heights Community Development Corporation, a Board Member of the Jerome Hardeman Day Care Center and Worshipful Master of Trinity Lodge No.51 in East Elmhurst. As part of CB 3 Mr. Hayes served on the Transportation, Land Use and other committees, and was instrumental in obtaining approval to make 32nd Avenue a one-way street because of the heavy traffic. He participated in numerous meetings with public agencies on environmental, traffic and safety issues related to La Guardia Airport, and to the dredging and clean-up of Flushing Bay.

William T. Gunn, Jr. (1961-1992) grew up in Bellerose and joined the New York Police Department in 1982. He received many commendations during his seven years of service, including an award for meritorious police duty. On January 20th, 1989 he was shot and badly wounded by a dangerous fugitive who was wanted for questioning in connection with two separate murders. Detective Gunn fell into a coma and died on November 27, 1992.

Enoch Hawthorne Gregory (1936-2000), aka “The Dixie Drifter,” was born in Hertford, North Carolina. He served in the United States Army 10 the 1950s and received an honorable discharge. Gregory was a legendary soul DJ at WWRL in Woodside, Queens in the 1960s and 70s. He was also and one of WWRL's first African-American program directors and organized the scheduled the station’s music, commercials, and news. WWRL was one of the first successful Soul R\&B stations in the City and a premier radio station serving the City’s black community. A musician in his own right, he released an album, topped by the single Soul Heaven, which charted at number eight on Billboard’s R\&B Singles in 1965.

Mary D. Carter (1930-1988) was a community activist and longtime resident of the Boulevard Gardens apartment complex in Woodside. As Director of the Boulevard Gardens Tenants Association, she arranged entertainment for local children and trips for senior citizens living in the complex. Carter worked for Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro and was involved with the Liberty Democratic Club, the Police Athletic League of the 114th Precinct, the American Legion Auxiliary, the Lexington School for the Deaf, and the Corpus Christi School and Church. She was also active in the Girl Scouts, where she served as both a Brownie and Girl Scout Leader. She was married to the late Charles Carter and had four children. The renaming of P.S. 151 in honor of Carter was recommended by the school's Parent Association, which described her as "a perfect role model" for the school community.

William Spyropoulos was a Greek-American philanthropist who supported the opening of a Greek-American Day School for the children of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Shrine Church in Flushing. The William Spyropoulos Greek-American Day School opened on September 12, 1977, initially serving 50 students from nursery school to second grade. The school now serves around 400 students from kindergarten through eighth grade. If you have information about William Spyropolous or any place currently missing from our map, please click on "Add/Edit" and fill out the form. This will help us fill in the blanks and complete the map.

Timothy Matthew Welty (1967–2001) grew up next to Bowne Park in Queens. He graduated from Archbishop Molloy High School and Pace University. While Welty lived in Yonkers with his wife and two young children, his professional life centered on Maspeth, Queens, where he served with Squad 288. Throughout his eight-year FDNY career, he was highly regarded for his athleticism, boundless energy, and fearless approach to firefighting. An adventurer at heart, Timothy spent his free time bungee jumping, ski racing, mountain climbing, and parachuting; he was also a dedicated member of the FDNY hockey and volleyball leagues. In addition to being a loving husband and father, Timothy was a skilled carpenter who had recently started his own construction business. On September 11, 2001, Timothy responded to the North Tower with Squad 288. He was last seen on the 27th floor, where he died alongside his fellow firefighters while heroically attempting to save others.

Michael Brennan (1973-2001), a New York City Firefighter, was a lifelong resident of the Sunnyside section of Queens. From a young age Michael wanted to be a firefighter, and he joined the NYPD are age 21. He was assigned to Ladder Company No. 4 in Manhattan. On September 11th Michael Brennan answered the call to the World Trade Center and perished in the collapse of the twin towers. He was survived by his loving parents‚ stepparents‚ 4 sisters‚ and 4 brothers.

Marie Curie (1867-1934) was a noted scientist and the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in Physics. Born in Warsaw, Poland, Maria Skolodowska-Curie moved to Paris in 1891 to study at the Sorbonne. Soon after, she joined a research laboratory and in 1898, she and her husband Pierre expanded on Henri Becquerel’s discovery of radioactivity, discovering two new elements, Polonium and Radium. This discovery earned Curie her first Nobel Prize, in Physics. She won a second Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1911, becoming the first person to earn two such awards. Curie died in France in 1934 from leukemia, thought to be caused by exposure to radiation.

Alphonse “Al” Volpe (1925-2015) applied his volunteer efforts to improving the quality of life of his neighbors, particularly in the areas of housing and transportation. While working professionally in information systems, he served as Vice President of the Federation of New York Housing Cooperatives and Condominiums, working to help tenants of rental buildings that were being converting to middle-income cooperatives to navigate the conversion process and to protect their investment in housing ownership. He was a Board Member and Officer of Berkeley Cooperative Towers in Woodside for 27 years and also served as President of the Woodside Community Council, an umbrella civic association, and as Vice President of the 108th Precinct Community Council. He was a very active member of Queens Community Board 2 and its City Services, Transportation and Environmental committees for more than 13 years. When the MTA temporarily halted No. 7 Express service for repairs and wanted to make it permanent, he and fellow commuters started the No. 7 Flushing Line Committee. After documenting train overcrowding, they successfully lobbied to restore Flushing Line Express Service. Volpe was also Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of “Woodside on the Move” and President of the Board of Woodysun Senior Housing.

Remington Vernam (1842-1907) was born in McConnville, New York, and moved to New York City with his family in 1854. He attended public school and went on to law school. He first came to Far Rockaway as a retreat from the stress of his work as a lawyer, but soon saw an opportunity to develop the area. His wife Florence, noticing that he signed his checks "R. Vernam," decided to name the hotel and surrounding community as a variation, "Arverne," which she thought had a nice French sound.

Don McCallian (1934-2019) was a Sunnyside civic leader. He was a member of Community Board 2, vice president of the NYPD 108th Precinct Community Council and former president of the United Forties Civic Association. He was also a member of numerous clubs such as the Sunnyside-Woodside Lions Club, the Kiwanis Club, the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce and the Sunnyside Community Services. He was a long-time parishioner at St. Raphael’s Church and was a very active volunteer at the church’s food pantry.

Robert Edwin Peary (1856-1920) was born in Cresson, Pennsylvania on May 6, 1856. His parents, Charles and Mary, originated from Maine. Charles died when Robert was three and Mary decided to move her only child back home to Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Peary attended Bowdoin College, joining the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, before graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1877. After college, Peary worked as a county surveyor and a cartographic draftsman. In 1881, he was selected to become one of the Navy’s first civil engineers with the rank equivalent of lieutenant (USN). His first assignment was to inspect a new iron pier being built in Key West. His following assignment, assisting the chief engineer of a canal project in Nicaragua, sparked his thirst for Arctic exploration. Perhaps his dissatisfaction with being a “workhorse” in the jungles of Central America and the inspiration of an 1886 paper “on the inland ice of Greenland,” prompted Peary to set off to explore the Arctic by way of Greenland. In May of 1886, he embarked on his journey, “making a deeper penetration of the Greenland interior than anyone before him, and discovering, once the crevasses and meltwater lakes had been passed, a truly ‘imperial highway’ for the explorer.” This would be the first of several expeditions to Greenland and the Arctic with his crowning achievement as being the first to reach the North Pole on April 6, 1909. Peary’s polar claim was disputed due to a “combination of navigational mistakes and record-keeping errors.” Still, it is universally accepted that Peary and his close friend Matthew Henson, were the first to reach the North Pole. Peary retired from the Navy with the rank of rear admiral in 1911. His publications included Northward over the “Great Ice” (1898), The North Pole (1910), and Secrets of Polar Travel (1917). Rear Admiral Robert E. Peary is credited in the Navy as being “the most famous Civil Engineer Corps officer to date.” The most prestigious exploration and research awards Peary won in his lifetime were the Cullum Geographical Medal (1896), the Charles P. Daly Medal (1902), and the Hubbard Medal (1906). In addition to his career as a naval officer and Arctic explorer, Peary was also very interested in aircraft and their “possible use for exploration and military purposes.” Peary remains an important figure not only for his Naval career or Arctic exploration but also for documenting tidal observations of the Arctic Ocean and the livelihoods of the Inuit people. However, Peary’s treatment of the Inuit and disregard for their culture remain controversial today. Upon his death in 1920, Peary was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with a “monument featuring a large, white granite globe and a bronze star pointing north marking the North Pole.” "In 1986, the U.S. Postal Service issued a set of stamps about Arctic Explorers identifying Peary as ‘one of two Civil Engineer Corps officers to be associated with a postage stamp.’”

Jacob August Riis (1849-1914), best known as a groundbreaking journalist and photographer, was also an advocate for parks and playgrounds and a resident of nearby Richmond Hill. Riis was born on May 3, 1849, in Ribe, Denmark, and immigrated to New York in 1870. After working various jobs, he was hired by the New York Tribune as a police reporter in 1877. He began documenting poverty, especially in Manhattan's Lower East Side and Five Points areas. Starting around 1887, Riis brought along a camera, and in 1890, his book How the Other Half Lives was released. It contained dramatic photos illustrating the challenging lives of immigrants in the Lower East Side, alongside his written essays. The book had a significant impact across the country, especially in New York, where Theodore Roosevelt was the Police Commissioner at the time. Riis's work inspired Roosevelt to support legislation aimed at improving living conditions in the slums before he became president. While reporting on the struggles of New Yorkers, Riis came to believe that play had a therapeutic effect on people. As a result, he became a champion for small parks and playgrounds, particularly where little greenspace existed, and he served as secretary of the Small Parks Committee. Riis was also a leader in the fight against tuberculosis. In 1904, he helped create Christmas seal stamps, using the funds raised to develop a children’s tuberculosis hospital in Coney Island, Brooklyn. As a leader of the New York Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor, this hospital provided a model he hoped to replicate in Queens. After some campaigning, the city approved the acquisition of the Rockaway property in 1911. While on a speaking tour in 1914, Riis fell ill at a stop in New Orleans and returned to his summer home in Massachusetts to attempt recovery. Not long before his death on May 26, 1914, Riis published an article that described the area—which would be named for him after his passing—as "a country of tumbled sand-hills overgrown with beach grass and fragrant bayweed that may easily be transformed into attractive parkland." Two other locations in Queens are also named for Riis: Jacob Riis Triangle in Richmond Hill and a community center (settlement house) in Queensbridge.

Queens Public Library Connection George Hunter was a British Sea Captain and shipping merchant. He and his wife Annie inherited the vast property in 1817 from her father, Jacob Bennett. The Hunters raised their 8 children on the farm. The Hunters Point Library opened in 2019.

Stone commemorating the former location of the Jamaica Academy on the Queens College campus. Walt Whitman taught at the Academy in 1839.

Steve Knobel (1943-2021) served as President of the Jewish Center of Jackson Heights for over twenty years, during which time the Center served not only its congregants but also the entire community. Under Steve’s tenure, the Center became the de facto community center of Jackson Heights. The Jewish Center offered many programs including piano lessons for children, ESL classes for immigrants, tutoring sessions for young people, lectures, opera concerts and Broadway and Bagel performances.

James Nicholas Pappageorge (1972 – 2001) grew up on 95th Street in Jackson Heights. he attended day school at the Transfiguration of Christ Elementary and went on to Newtown High School. Having been deeply involved in a variety of sports since childhood that included volleyball‚ softball and football‚ Jimmy went on to pursue a career in physical therapy at Hunter College. After graduation he became an emergency medical technician, working at the scene of traumatic accidents and fires. He then became a paramedic and later, a firefighter. He graduated in July 23‚ 2001 from the Fire Department’s academy and was assigned to Engine 23 in Manhattan. He died during the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, September 11, 2001.

Clement Clarke Moore (1779–1863) was a professor of Oriental and Greek literature at New York's General Theological Seminary from 1823 to 1850. He also donated a large piece of land that he had inherited, located in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, to the seminary. Moore wrote on a variety of topics but is best known today as the author of the enduringly popular Christmas poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas." The poem was first published anonymously in 1823 and there has been debate over its true authorship; many scholars believe it was actually written by Henry Livingston, Jr., but decisive proof has been elusive. The poem became a classic popularly known as "The Night Before Christmas” and brought the idea of Santa Claus to mainstream culture. Moore died in Newport, Rhode Island in 1863. The Moore family was among the earliest settlers of Elmhurst, Queens, having been granted 80 acres there in the mid-1600s; Clement Moore spent much of his childhood at the family estate in Newtown. The Moore Homestead Playground, also in Elmhurst, is named in the family's honor. Prior to the colonization of Elmhurst, the land was considered part of the Canarsie and Munsee Lenape territories.

Firefighter Michael Scott Carlo (b. 1967) was killed at the World Trade Center during fire and rescue operations following the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001. Carlo was a native of Whitestone, Queens and was assigned to Engine Co. 230 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

In the course of his 25 years in politics, Joseph Addabbo (1925-1986) won much respect from his colleagues, constituents and community for his ability to be just, compassionate and effective. A lifelong resident of Ozone Park, he was educated at City College and St. John’s University, where he received his law degree in 1946. Addabbo began his career as a lawyer. First elected to represent the 6th District in Queens in 1960, Addabbo, a Democrat, was re-elected to Congress 12 times. He supported legislation to benefit the elderly, education, small businesses, veterans benefits, and appropriation of funds for economically depressed areas. As Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense (1979-1986), Addabbo played a powerful role in both shaping and challenging national defense policy. He worked to curb defense spending, sponsored legislation to halt the Vietnam War, and advocated a nuclear freeze while at the same time bolstering defense contracts for New York. Addabbo served in Congress until he died on April 10, 1986. The area bounded by 80th and 83rd Streets, 133rd Avenue and North Conduit Avenue was named for Addabbo in 1986. It is one section of Tudor Park, which consists of 24.2 acres acquired as parkland between 1915 and 1974.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917-1963) was the 35th President of the United States (1961-1963), and the youngest man and first Roman Catholic elected to the office. On November 22, 1963, when he was hardly past his first thousand days in office, he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, becoming also the youngest president to die. Kennedy Airport, often referred to by its three-letter code JFK, is the largest airport in the New York metropolitan area. Construction of the facility began in 1942 on the former site of Idlewild Golf Course; hence it was initially called Idlewild Airport. When it opened on July 1, 1948, it was officially named New York International Airport but continued to be popularly called Idlewild. It was renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport on December 24, 1963, following the assassination of President Kennedy the prior month.

Terri Mona Adams (ca. 1942-2017) was a lifelong Hunters Point resident and civic leader. She retired from the United States Navy in the 1980s as an operations supervisor. She served as president of the Hunters Point Community Development Corp. (HPCDC), a merchant group established in 1952. She was also a member of Community Board 2. Under her leadership, HPCDC initiated an Easter Parade on Vernon Boulevard and an egg hunt and Easter Bonnet contest in John Andrews Playground. Halloween and Stop the Violence events were also held there under her leadership. She started the annual Hunters Point Community Unity event in 1995 and also worked with the 108th Precinct to combine Community Unity with National Night Out Against Crime. She organized the first Hunters Point Farmers Market and Hunters Point Eco-Friendly Flea Market on 48th Avenue in 2005. In addition, under her leadership, HPCDC started sponsoring Holiday Lights on Vernon Boulevard, and the annual Breakfast with Santa for Children at the Riverview Restaurant. She also served as president of St. Mary’s Seniors.

Howard Ames Von Dohlen (1895-1918) Died in battle in France during WWI. Von Dohlen grew up in Ozone Park, Queens, and attended a local public high before working for the brokerage firm V.C. Brown. He was a member of the Men’s Club Epiphany Church of Ozone Park and was also Superintendent of the Sunday School Epiphany P.E. Church. In June 1917, he enlisted in the U.S. Cavalry and was assigned to Troop D, Squadron A of the New York National Guard. Von Dohlen was promoted to corporal while stationed in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and then again to sergeant shortly before his unit sailed for France in May 1918. Sergeant Von Dohlen assumed a leadership role during every engagement and battle in which the 27th Division fought. On three separate occasions he volunteered to carry wounded men to the dressing station through a heavy counter barrage of enemy artillery and machine gun fire. On the morning of October 17, 1918, Von Dohlen was killed in action while commanding a machine gun section in the Battle of La Salle River in St. Supplet, France. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action.

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Alberta Lois Alston (1906-1980) was a religious and community leader who made her home in the neighborhood of St. Albans. In 1977, she served as the first African American female moderator of the Presbytery of New York City. Born on December 3, 1906, in Bergen County, New Jersey, Alston was a lifelong member of Zeta Phi Beta, a historically Black sorority founded in 1920 at Howard University. In addition to serving as a spokesperson for her sorority, she also held the position of Basileus, or chapter president, of the group’s Delta Beta Zeta Chapter in Hollis. She was the recipient of several community awards in recognition of her service to her local area. Alston died on May 19, 1980, and is buried at Pinelawn Memorial Cemetery in Farmingdale, New York. The Alberta L. Alston House, a supportive affordable housing residence serving older New Yorkers, first opened in the fall of 1984 and was named in her honor. The facility is run by PSS (Presbyterian Senior Services) and is located at 52-09 99th Street in Corona.

Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and influential figures in jazz, known for both his trumpet improvisations and his distinctive singing voice. He also broke down numerous racial divides in the music and entertainment worlds, becoming the first Black performer to get featured billing in a major Hollywood film ("Pennies From Heaven," 1936) and the first Black host of a national radio show (Fleischmann's Yeast Show, 1937). Born in New Orleans in 1901, Armstrong grew up impoverished in a racially segregated city. He dropped out of school in fifth grade to work, and developed a close relationship with a local Jewish family that gave him odd jobs and nurtured his love of music. By the age of 11, Armstrong wound up in the Colored Waif’s Home for Boys, where he joined the band and studied the cornet in earnest. Upon his release from the home in 1914, he began working as a musician on Mississippi riverboats and other local venues. His reputation skyrocketed, and by the early 1920s he moved north, performing and recording with jazz bands in Chicago and New York. Throughout the 1920s and '30s, Armstrong made dozens of records with his own and many other ensembles, toured extensively, and began performing in Broadway productions and movies. After some business and health setbacks, and in response to changing musical tastes, Armstrong scaled his group down to a six-piece combo in the 1940s and resumed touring internationally, recording albums and appearing in movies. Some of his biggest popular hits came in the later years of his career, including "Hello Dolly" (1964) and "What A Wonderful World" (1967). His grueling schedule took its toll on his heart and kidneys and in 1968 he was forced to take time off to recuperate, but he began performing again in 1970. Armstrong died in his sleep in July 1971, just a few months after his final engagement at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. Armstrong and his fourth wife, Lucille Wilson, purchased their home in Corona in 1943, shortly after they were married, and lived there for the remainder of their lives. I.S. 227, a public middle school serving grades 5 through 8, is located approximately one mile from their home, which is now the Louis Armstrong House Museum, offering public tours, concerts and educational programs.

Mary "Mae" Foley (1886-1967) shattered gender barriers within the NYPD, becoming one of its first female plainclothes detectives. Her pioneering work inspired over 2,000 women to join the force. She served from 1923 to 1945. Born in Manhattan's Lower East Side Gas House District to Irish and French immigrant parents, Mary Foley always aspired to a police career, even after marrying young and having children. As an adult, she resided at 30-16 82nd Street in Jackson Heights, Queens. Foley began her NYPD training in 1923 and joined the "Masher Squad," a unit dedicated to protecting women from predatory men. She was later assigned to detective work under Chief Inspector William Leahy, actively participating in raids with the Volstead Act enforcement squad (also known as the Bureau of Prohibition or Prohibition Unit). From 1925 to 1930, she was assigned to the 19th Precinct in Manhattan. In 1930, she transferred to the 108th Precinct in Queens, where she became a detective in the homicide division. During her career, Foley worked with Manhattan District Attorney Thomas Dewey, playing a crucial role in the successful conviction of Italian-born gangster Charles "Lucky" Luciano and exposing the pro-Nazi organization, the German American Bund. Foley also contributed to the war effort by helping to organize the Women's Volunteer Police Reserves during World War I, serving as its captain. Her legacy is documented in the book The Girls Who Fought Crime: The Untold True Story of the Country's First Female Investigator and Her Crime Fighting Squad by Mari Eder. In 2024, a street was named "Detective Mary "Mae" Foley Way" in her honor, due to its proximity to the former site of the NYPD's 108th Precinct.