Addisleigh Park, a landmarked community in St. Albans, Queens, is celebrated for its rich history as a home to Black musicians, athletes, civic leaders, and families who helped shape the cultural and civic life of New York City. The surrounding neighborhoods of Addisleigh Park, St. Albans, and South Jamaica honor this legacy through co-named streets and community landmarks that recognize individuals whose lives exemplified creativity, leadership, and service. From world-renowned artists to beloved educators, faith leaders, and local advocates, these honorees reflect the diversity, resilience, and spirit of the community. Their names remind us that neighborhood streets carry stories of achievement and care, passed down through generations. More stories and entries can be explored on Queens Public Library’s Name Explorer interactive map.

James B. Colgate (1818-1904) was the son of multimillionaire William Colgate, founder of Colgate Soap Company – now known as Colgate-Palmolive. James started a New York Stock Exchange brokerage firm in 1852. During his lifetime, Colgate donated over a million dollars to Madison University in Hamilton, NY., which was later renamed Colgate University in his honor. With this he supported the construction of various buildings and the university’s endowment fund. Upon his death, he left money to the Baptist Educational Society in New York.

Mother Maude Ford (1881-1970) was born in Barbados. She was a dedicated member of the Salvation Army, working first in Harlem in the 1920s with young women. After becoming First Chaplain she was called to minister in Jamaica, Queens, where she went door to door, serving the needs of the people. Soon, she established a church that held its first open-air service in July 1925. After a fire and then winds tore down the tents, the church moved to the basement of Ford's home at 157-01 110th Avenue, where she lived with her husband John. Mother Ford's dynamic ministry welcomed people of all races to her church, which grew quickly, so that by March 1926, her garage was dedicated as the Gospel Truth Tabernacle. In April 1931, the church was incorporated and its name was changed to Christ Pentecostal Temple, Inc. By 1953, she had negotiated the purchase of land and completed the construction and dedication of the current church edifice, located at 109-45 157th Street. Mother Ford was a forceful and beloved presence in the community of Jamaica until her death in 1970.

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.’”

Rachel Carson (1907-1964) was a marine biologist who worked for the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries (later the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) while developing a career as a nature writer. She published her first book, Under the Sea-Wind, in 1941. After the success of her second book, The Sea Around Us, which won the National Book Award and the John Burroughs Medal in 1951, she resigned from government service to focus on her writing. Her third book, The Edge of the Sea, was published in 1957. Carson is best remembered for her groundbreaking 1962 book Silent Spring, which examined the detrimental effects of the insecticide DDT on wildlife. Despite opposition from the chemical industry, an investigation was ordered by President John F. Kennedy (1917-1962), and in 1963 Carson testified before Congress. She died of breast cancer the following year. DDT was banned with the passage of the federal Clean Water Act in 1972. A 1978 renovation to make this playground accessible led to the alternate name of Playground for All Children. A 1999 renovation included the addition of a flagpole with a yardarm and depictions of sea creatures and the titles of Carson's three books preceding Silent Spring. The adjacent Silent Springs playground is a tribute to her most influential work.

Horace Harding (1863-1929) was born to an influential publishing family. He entered the banking world and moved up through connections on his wife's side. Harding served as a director for multiple entities including American Express and numerous railway trusts. Harding enjoyed art collecting and spent time cultivating the Frick collection. Harding was extremely influential in Long Island and supported Robert Moses' "Great Parkway Plan" to build a highway from Queens Blvd. to Shelter Rock in Nassau County. He also supported the Northern State Parkway and construction of the Long Island Expressway. His support of new roads happened to coincide with his desire for an easier pathway to his country club. Harding died at 65 from influenza and blood poisoning.

Queens has always had people who care deeply about the world around them, from neighbors working to save local parks and wetlands to scientists whose ideas changed how we think about the environment. This collection celebrates those community heroes and big thinkers who helped protect nature and make Queens a greener place to live.

Major James A. McKenna (1885-1918) of the165th Regiment, 83rd Brigade, third "Shamrock" Battalion, of the Rainbow Division (42nd Infantry Division). James Augustine McKenna Jr. was born in Long Island City, Queens, in 1885. He attended local schools and went on to study at Harvard and Cornell, where he was a star athlete. After graduating from law school at Fordham in 1916, he joined the 7th Regiment and fought in the Mexican Border War (1910–1919). In 1917, he was transferred to the 69th Regiment and was promoted to Lieutenant. McKenna commanded the 1st Troop ship of his infantry while crossing into France. In October of that year, he and his compatriots arrived in France, where he was promoted to Major.  In July 1918, McKenna led his battalion across the Ourcq River in France near Villeneuve-sur-Fere, in the Second Battle of the Marne (July-August 1918). His battalion was the only one to successfully cross the river, but McKenna was killed by a stray piece of shrapnel the following day. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery.

Daniel Carter Beard (1850-1941) was a prominent Progressive-era reformer, outdoor enthusiast, illustrator, and author, and is considered one of the founders of American Scouting. His series of articles for St. Nicholas Magazine formed the basis for The American Boy's Handy Book (1882), a manual of outdoor sports, activities, and games that he wrote and illustrated. In addition, he authored more than 20 other books on various aspects of scouting. His work with author and wildlife artist Ernest Thompson Seton became the basis of the Traditional Scouting movement and led to the founding of the Boy Scouts of America in 1910. Beard was born on June 21, 1850, in Cincinnati, Ohio. When he was 11, his family moved across the Ohio River to Covington, Kentucky. The fourth of six children, he was the son of Mary Caroline (Carter) Beard and James Henry Beard, a celebrated portrait artist. In 1869, Beard earned a degree in civil engineering from Worrall's Academy in Covington and then worked as an engineer and surveyor in the Cincinnati area. In 1874, Beard was hired by the Sanborn Map and Publishing Company, and his surveying work led him to travel extensively over the eastern half of the United States. His family joined him in moving to New York City in 1878, and they settled in Flushing. From 1880 to 1884, Beard studied at the Art Students League, where he befriended fellow student Ernest Thompson Seton. Beard’s time there inspired him to work in illustration. His drawings appeared in dozens of newspapers and magazines, such as Harper's Weekly and The New York Herald, and he illustrated a number of well-known books, including Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1889) and Tom Sawyer Abroad (1894). In 1894, he met and married Beatrice Alice Jackson, and together they had two children, Barbara and Daniel. His career led him into the magazine industry, and he became editor of the wildlife periodical Recreation in 1902. While at Recreation, he wrote a monthly column geared at youth, and in 1905, he founded the Sons of Daniel Boone to promote outdoor recreation for boys. By 1906, he had moved on to Women’s Home Companion and then to Pictorial Review three years later. In 1909, he founded Boy Pioneers of America, which merged together a year later with similar scouting groups, including Seton’s Woodcraft Indians, to become the Boy Scouts of America. In 1910, Beard founded Troop 1 in Flushing, one of the oldest continuously chartered Boy Scout Troops in the United States. Beard was one of the Boy Scouts’ first National Commissioners, holding the position for more than 30 years until his death. Affectionately known to millions of Boy Scouts as “Uncle Dan,” he served as editor of Boys’ Life, the organization’s monthly magazine, and he became an Eagle Scout at age 64. In 1922, he received the gold Eagle Scout badge for distinguished service, the only time the badge was awarded. Through his work with his sisters, Lina and Adelia Beard, who together wrote The American Girls Handy Book (1887), Beard also encouraged girls to take up scouting. He helped in the organization of Camp Fire Girls and served as president of Camp Fire Club of America. His autobiography, Hardly a Man Is Now Alive, was published in 1939, and Beard died at his home in Suffern, New York, on June 11, 1941. In 1965, his childhood home in Covington, Kentucky, became a National Historic Landmark. J.H.S. 189 Douglas Carter Beard is located at 144-80 Barclay Avenue in Beard’s former neighborhood of Flushing. Other sites in Flushing named for Beard include Daniel Carter Beard Mall and Daniel Carter Beard Memorial Square.

Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910) was the first woman in the United States to graduate from medical school (1849) and obtain an MD degree.  Blackwell was born on February 3, 1821 to Quaker parents in Bristol, England. Although education for women was generally discouraged at the time, Blackwell’s parents disagreed. Throughout Blackwell’s childhood, her parents were very supportive of her educational endeavors. By the age of 11, Blackwell and her family immigrated to the United States. During Blackwell’s mid-20s, she had experienced the passing of a close friend. Prior to death, her friend had told Blackwell that she would have experienced less suffering if she had a female doctor. This inspired Blackwell to pursue a career path in medicine. In 1847, multiple medical schools rejected her because she was a female applicant. Fortunately, Geneva Medical College accepted her application but for improper reasons. The college allowed the all-male student body to determine her acceptance through a vote. Many of the students voted “yes” as a joke since she was a female. Blackwell experienced an extremely difficult time in medical school, she was constantly harassed and excluded by classmates and faculty. Despite the hardships Blackwell had to endure, she graduated in 1849 and was ranked first in her class. In the mid 1850s, Dr. Blackwell returned to the United States and opened a clinic to treat poor women. In 1857 Dr. Blackwell opened the New York Infirmary for Women and Children with the help of her sister Dr. Emily Blackwell and colleague Dr. Marie Zakrzewska. This infirmary would be the nations first hospital that had an all-female staff. This hospital still stands and is currently known as the New York-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital and is helping millions of people in New York to this date. Additionally, in 1868, Dr. Blackwell created a medical college devoted to providing education for future female physicians which is now apart of Weill Cornell Medicine. In 1869 Dr Blackwell returned to England where she continued to advocate for women in medicine until her death in 1910.

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.

Edward F. Guida(1924-2014), nicknamed Eddie by those who knew him, was born and raised in Corona, Queens. He was a City Marshal for 29 years and owned a family-run funeral home, the Guida Funeral Home, opened in 1909 by his Grandfather. The Corona community loved and respected him for his compassion and ethics in both jobs. He was sympathetic to all the families that mourned the deaths of their loved ones in his funeral home. His wife, Mary Guida, remembers him as "generous, loving, caring, and respectful." As Guida ran his funeral home, he was highly involved in the community of Corona, working with the Corona Lion's Club, The Latino Lawyers Association, The Italian Heritage Foundation, The American Diabetes Association, The Golden Age, and the local Precinct Council. The funeral home was also involved with the Northside Democratic Club, St. Leo's Church, and St. Leos School. He assisted in creating St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital's Queens Chapter in 1991, earning him the title of "Man of the Year." As a City Marshal, Guida would show compassion to those he needed to evict as it was part of his job. He would try to assist the people he was evicting by giving them information and showing a kind heart. Although kind, he was still "tough when he had to be," according to his wife. When Guida passed, his wife, Mary and their son, Edward Guida Jr., continued to run the funeral home. Eddie Jr. would also continue his father's City Marshal business, even taking up his badge number, #14. The intersection of 104th Street and 48th Avenue was named after him, Edward F. Guida Sr. Way, this same intersection being the location of the Guida Funeral Home.

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) was the third president of the United States and an American Founding Father. He was born on April 14, 1743, in Shadwell, Virginia, and quickly became a key figure in the American struggle for independence. A fierce advocate for liberty, Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence at 33 as a member of the Second Continental Congress. He held many political offices throughout his life, serving as Governor of Virginia (1779 -81), U.S. Minister to France (1784-90), and Secretary of State to George Washington (1790-97). Jefferson often famously came into conflict with Alexander Hamilton, especially when Jefferson was Secretary of State and Hamilton was Secretary of the Treasury. Jefferson consistently advocated for a limited federal government and for states’ rights throughout his political career, while Hamilton advocated for the opposite. Jefferson was also Vice President during John Adams’ term as President, and was himself elected President in 1800, completing his second term in 1809. As President, one of his biggest achievements was the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon in 1803, and reducing the national debt significantly. Jefferson also established the University of Virginia at the age of 76 in his retirement, which he largely spent at Monticello, the plantation he inherited from his father. Jefferson also inherited slaves from his father and his father-in-law, most of whom were enslaved at Monticello. Many of those enslaved who worked in the house were of the Hemings family, including Sally Hemings. Jefferson was the father of at least six of Hemings’ children, and the first was born when Hemings was only 16. He was, however, conflicted about the moral implications regarding slavery, and eventually freed all of Hemings' children. Jefferson died in Monticello on July 4, 1826, on the 50th anniversary of the ratification of the Declaration of Independence.

Celebrating places in Queens named for important Hispanic figures! National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed annually from September 15 to October 15. It's a time to honor the history, traditions, and diverse contributions of Hispanic Americans whose heritage is rooted in Spain and Spanish speaking countries and territories. We recognize the power of this collective heritage to shape a vibrant, inclusive future for all through music, art, literature, activism and shared stories. Please click the Add/Edit button to help us complete these entries by adding photographs and memories of these honored individuals.

Roy Wilkins (1901-1981) was a Civil Rights activist and NAACP leader. In his early days, he became the editor of the Kansas City Call in 1923, a weekly newspaper serving the Black community of Kansas City, Missouri. He also helped organize the historic March on Washington in August 1963 and participated in the Selma-to-Montgomery marches in 1965 and the March Against Fear in Mississippi in 1966. Under Wilkins's direction, NAACP played a major role in many civil rights victories of the 1950s and 1960s, including Brown v. Board of Education, the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting Rights Act.

Sgt. Jose Gomez (1982-2006) died at the age of 23 on April 27, 2006, in Baghdad, Iraq. He was three months into his second tour of duty with the 10th Cavalry, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. According to Maj. Gen. Bill Grisoli, Gomez moved his vehicle forward after the explosion to save and protect fellow soldiers in the convoy. Born in the Dominican Republic, Gomez came to Corona, Queens at age three. He graduated from Newtown High School in Elmhurst, where he was a member of the track team. His dream was to attend college, study mathematics, and become an accountant. He enlisted in the army in 2000 to finance his education. In 2003, he tragically lost his fiancée and fellow officer, Ana Laura Esparza-Gutierrez, to a similar roadside bomb attack. During his service, Jose earned numerous honors, including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

NYPD Captain Richard McHale (1877-1935) was a member of the New York 69th Volunteer Infantry, Company A and a veteran of the Spanish-American War. He was a recipient of the New York City Police Department’s Medal of Honor and the Commanding Officer of the 109th Precinct in Flushing, Queens. Captain McHale was shot and killed by one of his own officers, Patrolman Walter Miller. Miller had previously been suspended by Captain McHale for being drunk on duty and had just been given his gun back. As the captain signed the police blotter for night duty, Miller loaded his service revolver nearby. He followed Captain McHale into his office, reportedly saying, "Captain, you've caused me an awful lot of trouble!" before fatally shooting him in the chest. Another patrolman immediately shot and killed Miller. Captain McHale died before the ambulance arrived. On October 28, crowds of citizens, civic groups, and police officers attended Captain McHale's funeral services in Whitestone. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Woodside, Queens

Frank Joseph McManus (1948-1968) was killed in action in Dau Tieng, Vietnam, on September 17, 1968, at the age of 20. He had been in Vietnam for only six weeks when the helicopter transporting his unit back from a scouting patrol was struck by heavy fire as it landed. The first man out of the helicopter was wounded. Private McManus, despite the intense fire, left the helicopter to try and help him. McManus wrote from Vietnam that the men in his platoon were like his brothers. He had many friends and was always there for them. He was proud to wear his uniform and loved his country. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. McManus grew up in Queens on 80th Street, near Ditmars Boulevard. He attended Our Lady of Fatima Parochial School and Bryant High School in Queens. In December 1975, seven years after his death, residents of his Queens community erected a small stone monument at 81st Street and Ditmars Boulevard, around the corner from his family's home, at the park where Frank McManus played as a child. The inscription reads: "A Community Remembers." The following passage is from a message that Agnes and Peter McManus, his parents, wrote at his entry on “The Wall of Faces”: "The community erected a beautiful memorial stone in his memory near his home. LaGuardia Airport donated the Frank McManus Park... Every Memorial Day, we fly up to New York to attend the Memorial for Frankie and all the Boys who lost their lives for the Freedom of our Country. I am a Gold Star Mother who is very proud."

Nina Adams (1944-2015) was president of the Queensbridge Tenant Association and received many awards in recognition of her community work. She represented approximately 12,000 residents of the Queensbridge Houses, and lobbied city, state and federal officials for programs to benefit them. She started the Queensbridge Outreach program, which organizes after-school activities and field trips to Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., for children from Queensbridge. During the 1980s, she took in many children under her own care to keep them from wandering dangerous streets after school.

Dr. Paul Klapper (1885-1952) was the first president and guiding force behind the establishment of Queens College. Born in Romania, Klapper came to the U.S. with his parents as a child and enrolled at City College at the age of 14. After receiving his A.B. degree, he taught in the New York City public schools and at City College, eventually earning an M.A. and Ph.D. from New York University. He became head of the education department at City College in 1917, and served as dean of the college from 1922 to 1937, when he was asked to lead the newly created Queens College. Klapper personally selected the college’s first faculty, as well as the 400 students who enrolled in that first year. He led the college through its first decade, retiring in 1948. He then served as acting dean of teacher education for CUNY's five four-year colleges, and was a visiting professor at the University of Chicago from 1949 to 1951. He passed away in 1952 at the age of 66. Over the course of his career, Klapper also was a member of the board of trustees for The State University of New York, Brandeis University and The New York State Commission Against Discrimination. He received various honorary degrees from institutions including Yeshiva University, Columbia University and Queens College. His papers are housed in Queens College's Department of Special Collections and Archives. P.S./M.S. 219, named in Dr. Klapper's honor, is a public school serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

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.

The entrance to Hortense Powdermaker Hall on the campus of Queens College.

Ethel Plimack (1910 - 2018) Lived on her block in Sunnyside, Queens from 1941 until 2018, when she passed away at age 107. Plimack worked for more than 40 years with the NYC Board of Education until she was 70, and then took an administrative job at Marymount Manhattan College until she was 96 years-old. She was active in the community and served as treasurer and secretary of her block association, Washington Court, and was also heavily involved in gaining landmark status for Sunnyside Gardens. Ethel was an exceptional knitter, making many hundreds of sweaters, hats and scarves for family and friends. In her younger years, she was an avid folk dancer, traveling the world to learn new dances and meet others who shared her passion for dance. A legend in Sunnyside, she received recognition from local elected officials and former President Barack Obama.

Klapper Hall as it appeared in the 1950s, then called the Paul Klapper Library.

Gloria D’Amico (ca. 1927-2010) was Queens County Clerk for 19 years, the first woman ever to hold that position. Under her guidance the county became the first in the city to implement a jury duty call-in system, making it easier for potential jurors to find out if they had to serve. Among her many community activities, she served on the board of Sharing and Caring, an agency providing support for women with breast cancer.

Wilson Rantus (1807-1861) was a free African American businessman, farmer and civil rights activist who owned land in both Flushing and Jamaica in the mid-1800s. He built a school for Black children and took part in the struggle for equal voting rights in New York State, seeking to end property requirements for African American citizens. He also was a financial backer of Thomas Hamilton’s "Anglo-African" magazine and newspaper. The Rantus family farm and cemetery were located adjacent to the site on the Queens College campus where this commemorative boulder is found.

Russell Risley Sage (1816 – 1906) Was a financier & President of the Chicago, St. Paul & Milwaukee Railroad, he played a large part in organizing the railroad and telegraph systems in the United States. He also served as a delegate to the Whig Convention of 1848, where he supported Henry Clay. Sage served two consecutive terms in the U.S. Congress (1853–57). Sage was born in Oneida County New York, his first job was as an errand boy in his brother's Troy, NY grocery store, very motivated he soon opened his own wholesale grocery business. He was elected as an alderman in Troy, while also serving as a treasurer in Rensselaer County from 1844 to 1851, 1852 he was elected to Congress on the Whig ticket and served for five years until he took over as vice president of the La Crosse Railroad in Wisconsin, a company he had invested in. He also had money invested in Western Union Telegraph. He relocated to New York City in 1863 where he engaged in the business of selling puts and calls, as well as short-term options known as privileges. He has been credited with developing the market for stock options in the United States and inventing the "spread" and "straddle" option strategies, for which he was dubbed "Old Straddle" and the "Father of Puts and Calls."  In 1891, a man entered Sage’s office and demanded $1.2 million, threatening Sage with dynamite. When Sage refused, the man unleashed an explosion that left him dead, but Sage was mostly unharmed. The event was in all the newspapers. By the time of Sage’s death in 1906, he had amassed a large amount of money which he left to his wife Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage (1828 - 1918), and it is largely due to her efforts that so many institutions in New York benefitted from his fortune. Olivia donated large sums to the YMCA, the YWCA, the Women’s Hospital, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a memorial to her husband, she had built the First Presbyterian Church of Far Rockaway, at 1324 Beach 12th Street, where they used to vacation. Olivia also founded the Russell Sage Foundation in 1907 for “the improvement of social and living conditions in the United States,” and helped to sponsor the Regional Plan Association’s (‘RPA’) project to develop a regional plan for New York City in 1929, which would provide Parks Commissioner Robert Moses (1888-1981) with many of the basic ideas that shaped his career.

The Fitzgerald/Ginsberg Mansion is one of the last great Tudor Revival mansions of the 1920s still standing in Flushing. It was built in 1924 for Charles and Florence Fitzgerald, two affluent New Yorkers, who then sold it to Ethel (Rossin) Ginsberg (b. 1905) and Morris Ginsberg (1902-1947) in 1926. While less is known about the Fitzgeralds, the Ginsbergs were a prominent family that made its fortune manufacturing materials for builders. The residence was owned by the Ginsberg family for more than seventy years. Designated as a historic landmark in 2005, it is considered a picturesque example of the Tudor Revival style once prevalent in the wealthy outer neighborhoods of New York City. In 1924, Charles and Florence Fitzgerald engaged the architect John Oakman (1878-1963) to build the mansion. Oakman had designed civic works, including hospitals, power stations, and college buildings, but he specialized in picturesque single-family homes. For the Fitzgeralds, he designed a Tudor-style mansion, also known as the “Stockbroker’s Tudor,” which was particularly popular in the early twentieth century. The two-story dwelling was built on a plot of land purchased by Florence Fitzgerald. At the time, it sat adjacent to Flushing’s Old Country Club (which has since been demolished) and was set back from the street on a winding drive. The Fitzgeralds moved from their residence on Malba Drive in northern Queens to their new home, located about two miles south in the Broadway Flushing neighborhood. Two years later, the Fitzgeralds sold the home to Ethel and Morris Ginsberg. Morris was one of seven children born to Russian-immigrant parents Hyman and Dora (Greenwald) Ginsberg. His father was the owner of D. Ginsberg and Sons, a prominent Queens manufacturer of sash, door, and trim. In charge of the business side of the firm, Morris began work for his father at a young age, and he went on to serve as vice president for 20 years before becoming chairman of the board in 1946. By that time, the company was known as the Empire Millwork Corporation. Morris was active in community and philanthropic activities in and around Flushing, including serving as chairman of the Queens division of the Federation for the Support of Jewish Philanthropic Societies and the United Jewish Appeal, as well as a Vice President of the Woodside National Bank. Ethel and Morris had two children, William and Alane, and Morris died in 1947 at the age of 45. In 2003, the Ginsberg family sold the home, and it now houses the Assembly of God Jesus Grace Church. The site was declared a New York City landmark on September 20, 2005. It stands in its original location at 145-15 Bayside Avenue in Flushing.

In 1867 and 1869 Daniel Eldrige and his wife Abbie of Brooklyn purchased six lots from Charles and Libya Paulson in what was then the town of Clarencevill and is now Richmond Hill, Queens. The parcel on Greenwood Avenue (now 111th Street) was the main thoroughfare of the village. The Italianate-Style house was completed in 1870. Daniel Eldrige was a clerk in the city Water Department and alleged member of the Tweed Ring (aka Boss William Marcy Tweed).

Archie Spigner (1928 - 2020) was a local politician who served for 27 years as a City Councilman for District 27 in southeast Queens, from 1974 to 2001, serving his last 15 years as deputy to the majority leader. He also served as the head of the United Democratic Club of Queens from 1970 until his death in 2020, a role in which he helped shape the borough’s Democratic Party leadership. During his tenure, he advocated for education, infrastructure, and the underserved community. Archie Hugo Spigner was born on Aug. 27, 1928, in Orangeburg, S.C., his family moved to New York when Archie was 7, and he grew up in Harlem. As a young bus driver engaged in union activism, Mr. Spigner drew the attention of the labor leader A. Philip Randolph, who charged him with forming a Queens branch of Mr. Randolph’s Negro American Labor Council. While looking for a meeting place for his group, Mr. Spigner met Mr. Kenneth N. Browne, who was running for the State Assembly, and who became the borough’s first Black member of the New York State Assembly and its first Black State Supreme Court justice. Mr. Browne took Mr. Spigner to the local Democratic club and introduced him to the district leader Guy R. Brewer, and Spigner’s career in Queens politics began. Mr. Spigner went on to attend college, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Queens College in 1972. Spigner went on to become a major power house in an area that reliably voted Democratic, a nod from Mr. Spigner all but assured election. He was known as “The Dean,” and considered “The Godfather of Politics” in southeastern Queens.  As a local-minded city councilman, Mr. Spigner helped shepherd the sale of the oft-criticized Jamaica Water Supply Company, New York City’s last privately owned waterworks, to the city government in 1997, bringing down costs for residents of southeast Queens. To spur local business, he successfully pushed for the construction of a permanent building for York College, part of the City University of New York, in the Jamaica section; a subway extension to downtown Jamaica; and a regional headquarters of the Social Security Administration.

Detective Richard Arundell (1927-1963) served with the NYPD for 11 years and tragically died of a heart attack while on duty. Before joining the NYPD, Arundell served in the Army during World War II. Enlisting in 1945 at the age of 18, he served for a year as a Private First Class. Late on February 8, 1963, Arundell and his partner attempted to stop a vehicle that had run a red light at the intersection of Woodhaven Boulevard and 62nd Road. The two occupants of the car fled on foot. Arundell's partner ordered them to halt and fired warning shots, but the officers pursued the suspects, eventually apprehending one. Following the chase, Arundell experienced chest pains and was taken to the hospital, where he died shortly thereafter. Arundell was survived by his wife and four children and is buried at Saint Charles Cemetery in East Farmingdale, Long Island. In May 1963, the NYPD held a joint memorial service for Arundell and five other officers who had died in the line of duty in the preceding year. In 2024, Council Member Robert Holden proposed co-naming the street where Arundell's final chase began in his honor. The street was dedicated with a ceremony on October 19, 2024.

William Steinway (1835-1896), born Wilhelm Steinweg, was a German-American piano manufacturer and former president of Steinway & Sons. The company was founded by William's father, Henry E. Steinway, shortly after the family moved from Germany to New York City in the early 1850s. William took over Steinway & Sons in the 1870s after the death of his father and two of his brothers. Steinway was a generous patron of the New York opera and orchestra companies, as well as touring European musicians. His investments in the arts and innovative print advertisements led to the construction of Steinway Hall in Manhattan and other halls worldwide. In the 1870s, Steinway relocated the company's operations to what is now northern Astoria, Queens, after purchasing a home, Steinway Mansion, and the surrounding property to establish a company town, Steinway Village. The Steinway Mansion and Steinway Piano Factory still stand, and many nearby buildings bear the Steinway name. As one of New York City's leading industrialists, Steinway's developments included the transportation industry. One of his former resorts east of Astoria became LaGuardia Airport; he was a partner in the American production of Daimler AG/Maybach cars, and served as head of the New York Subway Commission. Steinway wanted to expand his Steinway Railway Company, a trolley system for his workers under the East River. Steinway died in 1896 before the completion of tunnels and subway line. The Steinway Tunnels under the East River and the Astoria subway station Steinway St were named in his honor.

Francis de Sales (1567-1622) is a saint in the Catholic Church well known for two books, Introduction to the Devout Life and A Treatise on the Love of God, and he wrote countless letters. Because of this voluminous writing, he's the patron of journalists. And because of his writings, teachings, and gentle approach to spirituality, there are many schools and parishes named in his honor, including this one, which was founded in 1913. De Sales was born on August 21, 1567 at Thorens, in the Duchy of Savoy. While studying to be a lawyer at the college of Clermont in Paris, he took a theology course that led to him making a vow of chastity. To avoid his father's plans for his marriage, he accepted a position working for the pope, the highest office in the diocese, and received Holy Orders in 1593. As provost of the Diocese of Geneva, where Calvinists had a stronghold, he began conversions through preaching and sharing his Catholic writings. He continued this work after being named Bishop of Geneva in 1602, including developing Catholic instruction for young and old believers. With Jane Frances de Chantal, another saint, de Sales helped establish a new religious order known as the Sisters of the Visitation. He died on December 28, 1622 at 56 years old. He was beatified in 1661 and canonized by Alexander VII in 1665. In 1877 Pope Pius IX proclaimed him Doctor of the Universal Church.

Joseph T. Alcamo (1961-1994) was born in Queens, New York. In 1988, he became a New York City Police officer and was assigned to the 100th Precinct in the Rockaway Peninsula. On March 26, 1992, he was killed in a patrol car accident while responding to an emergency call. A plaque was dedicated in his honor on March 24, 1994. It is located in front of the Peninsula Library on Rockaway Beach Boulevard, across the street from the 100th Precinct. His badge number, 24524, was inscribed on the plaque. Officer Alcamo served for four years as a New York City police officer. He is survived by his spouse Milagros and daughter.

Marjorie and Nicholas Ferrigno were founding members of The Broadway-Flushing Homeowners’ Association. Marjorie Ferrigno (1916 – 2013) was an educator who founded the Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts. She was President of the American Educational Theatre Association which represented all nonprofessional theatre in the United States, Secretary and Executive Committee member of the American National Theatre and Academy, was Chair of the North Shore Branch League, taught speech courses at several universities, a founding chairman of the drama department at LaGuardia High School of Music and Performing Arts, past President of the American Educational Theatre Association, chairman of the North Shore Branch of League of Woman Voters and steering committee member of the Economic Development Committee. She was a founding member and President of the Broadway-Flushing Homeowners’ Association and won a landmark court case to enforce a restrictive covenant, which led to a rezoning of part of Northern Boulevard. Nicholas Ferrigno (d. 2010) was a senior instructor for American Airlines at JFK and LaGuardia Airport and a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers. He was a founding member of The Broadway-Flushing Homeowners’ Association.

Rufus King (1755-1827) was a distinguished lawyer, statesman and gentleman farmer. The son of a wealthy lumber merchant from Maine, King graduated from Harvard in 1777, served in the Revolutionary War in 1778, and was admitted to the bar in Massachusetts in 1780. He was a member of the Confederation Congress from 1784 to 1787, where he introduced a plan that prevented the spread of slavery into the Northwest Territories. King was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, and made his most famous contribution to American history as a framer and signer of the U.S. Constitution. After his marriage to Mary Alsop in 1786, King relocated to New York and was appointed to the first U.S. Senate, serving from 1789 to 1796 and again from 1813 to 1825. An outspoken opponent of slavery, he led the Senate debates in 1819 and 1820 against the admission of Missouri as a slave state. King served as Minister Plenipotentiary to Great Britain from 1796 to 1803 and again from 1825 to 1826. In 1816 he was the last Federalist to run for the presidency, losing the election to James Monroe. In 1805, King purchased land and a farmhouse in Jamaica; this house is now the King Manor Museum, a New York City landmark. It is located approximately 4.5 miles from P.S. 26, a public elementary school serving grades pre-K through 5.

Benjamin N. Cardozo (1870-1938), former Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court (1932-1938). Justice Cardozo is notable for both his defense of the New Deal’s social programs during his six short years at the Supreme Court and his advocacy for the common-law approach throughout his judicial career.  Born in New York City to a Portuguese Sephardic Jewish family, Justice Cardozo was tutored by Horatio Alger and various home tutors as a youth, before being admitted into Columbia College at age fifteen. Cardozo had ambition to restore his family’s honor, after his father, Judge Albert Cardozo of the Supreme Court of New York, achieved notoriety for his involvement with the corrupt Tweed ring. The elder Cardozo resigned in 1872, just before he could be impeached. After the younger Cardozo’s graduation from Columbia College and a few years at Columbia Law School, he joined his father’s law practice and entered the bar. In 1914, Cardozo was appointed to the Court of Appeals, he would serve eighteen years at the court - five of which at the head. Following Oliver Wendell Holmes’s retirement from the United States Supreme Court in 1932, Justice Cardozo was named to the Supreme Court by President Herbert Hoover. This appointment earned him the distinction of being the second Jewish judge to be appointed to the Supreme Court, after Justice Louis Brandeis. Despite later describing himself as an agnostic, Justice Cardozo volunteered within the Jewish community throughout his life. He was a member of the Judean Club, a board member of the American Jewish Committee, and a member of the Zionist Organization of America at various points. At the point of his appointment to the Supreme Court, he resigned from all offices except for his membership on the Executive Committee of the Jewish Welfare Board and on the Committee on the Advisor to the Jewish students at Columbia University. On the Supreme Court, he was one of the “Three Musketeers” - the nickname given to the three liberal members of the Court that supported the New Deal agenda, including Justice Brandeis and Justice Harlan Fiske Stone. He is noted for his defense of social security and old-age pensions in particular.  The City of New York acquired the land for this playground in April 1955, and it opened in August 1957 as J.H.S. 198 Playground. The playground contains benches and a softball field for the school and the community. Parks Commissioner Henry J. Stern changed the name in 1985 to Benjamin Cardozo Playground, physically commemorating the life of a man who left an indelible mark on New York City.

Herbert Hoover (1874-1964) was the 31st president of the United States, serving from 1929 to 1933. He gained a reputation as a humanitarian as the head of the American Relief Administration, which distributed food and relief supplies throughout Europe following World War I. Under President Warren Harding, Hoover served as U.S. secretary of commerce, where he helped direct the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Hoover Dam. Unable to address the severe unemployment, homelessness, and hunger brought on by the Great Depression, Hoover was defeated by Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1932 presidential election. He was born in West Branch, Iowa, the son of Jesse Hoover, a blacksmith, and Hulda Minthorn Hoover, a seamstress. When Hoover was six years old, his father died of heart disease, and he lost his mother four years later to pneumonia. Hoover then left Iowa for Oregon, where he was raised by his maternal uncle and aunt, John and Laura Minthorn. He graduated from Stanford University in 1895, and there he met his future wife, Lou Henry. Together, they raised two children. In the years following his presidency, he wrote several books critical of President Roosevelt’s New Deal. Until Pearl Harbor was attacked, Hoover opposed US involvement in World War II, and he also condemned American participation in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He died in New York City in 1964 at the age of 90. Martin Thomas Manton (1880-1946) was a district and federal judge. In 1916, he was nominated by President Woodrow Wilson to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Two years later, he was again appointed by Wilson to serve as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. In 1939, he became the first U.S. federal judge charged with bribery. Though later acquitted of that charge, he was convicted of conspiring to obstruct justice and received the maximum penalty—two years in prison and a $10,000 fine, for which he served 19 months in federal prison. The son of Irish-immigrant parents, Manton was born in New York City. He received his law degree from Columbia University in 1901 and went into private law practice from 1901 to 1916. In 1907, he married Eva Morier. Manton eventually retired to Fayetteville, New York, where he died in 1946 at the age of 66. The Hoover-Manton Playgrounds are located in Briarwood on Manton Street (also named for Manton), between 134th Street, 83rd Avenue, and Main Street.

Anthony Suraci (d. 2006) lived with his wife in Sunnyside, Queens, for over 60 years. He served as President of the Thompson Hill Civic Association, district Leader. In addition, he served as a Republican district leader, a cub-master of Cub Scout Pack 221, and held a number of annual charity events for needy families through United Republicans of Western Queens (URWQ), where he was a driving force.

Geraldine Ferraro (1935-2011) was a Democratic Party politician, a member of the United States House of Representatives and the first female candidate of a major party for Vice President of the United States.

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.

Carl Clemens (1908-1989), a reporter, editor, and publisher of The Ridgewood Times, was a well-known community activist in the Ridgewood area. He began his career at the Ridgewood Times at 16 years old as a copy boy. For a period, the paper also operated a radio station, WHN, where Clemens announced sports, weather, and news. This station was later sold to Loew's Theaters. Clemens became a co-owner of the paper in 1933, eventually purchasing the entire newspaper and the Ridgewood Times building in 1955. He then served as its editor and publisher until his retirement in the 1980s. Clemens’s involvement with The Times fostered extensive collaboration with local civic groups, working to improve libraries, schools, senior centers, and other community establishments. In 1975, he co-founded the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society with other residents. The group's primary goal, which they successfully achieved, was to save an abandoned Onderdonk Farmhouse which dates back to the 1600s. Clemens also generously provided meeting space in the Ridgewood Times building for community board meetings. In the late 1960s, Mayor John Lindsay appointed Clemens as an honorary Commissioner of Public Events, and in 1985, Mayor Edward I. Koch renamed this intersection in Ridgewood in his honor.

Henry E. A. Meyer (1886-1927) served with the NYPD and was assigned to the 54th Precinct, now the 104th Precinct, when he was killed while attempting to capture two robbery suspects. He was known as "Big Hen" to distinguish him from his brother, Philip "Big Phil" Meyer, who was also a member of the NYPD. The brothers were called twins despite the difference in their ages, as they had joined the force together in January 1914. The two worked together at the same station for a period, and together and separately became known for their ability to break up gangs. On September 16, 1927, Meyer was driving with his wife Tillie on Cypress Hills Street when someone stopped him to say he'd heard a woman screaming in the Beth-El Cemetery and had located and freed the two women, who had been locked in a crypt. They told Meyer they'd been robbed of money and jewelry at gunpoint by two men while visiting their father's mausoleum. Driving with his wife to find a police call box, Meyer saw two suspicious-looking men, who denied any connection to the crime and agreed to let the women have a chance to look at them. Tillie went back to meet the women, and Meyer was going to take the men in his car, but when Tillie looked back, she saw them running off. She rushed back to the car, where a crowd had gathered around her husband. He has been shot multiple times. He died at Wyckoff Heights Hospital hours later. Fellow officers from Meyer's 54th Precinct tracked down one of the suspects, who was identified by Tillie and the victims, and who had a piece from his shirt missing – the fabric was found gripped in Meyer's hand. He described the other assailant, who police tracked down through pawn shops. He admitted to the robbery as well, and police found the stolen items at a pawn shop he pointed them to. A large crowd that included many police officers gathered in support as Meyer's casket was led from his home of Loubet Street Forest Hills to Lutheran Cemetery on September 20, 1927. The two suspects, 18 and 22 years old, were convicted of second-degree murder and illegal weapons possession, and later for robbery as well. They were sent to Sing Sing, with the gunman sentenced 50 years to life, and his accomplice sentenced 45 years to life. Council Member Robert Holden proposed co-naming this street in Meyer's honor in June 2023. A ceremony to dedicate the street was held on October 25, 2023. Meyer's brother, Philip, passed away while on duty on June 19, 1929, as a result of heart disease. The street where he had lived in Glendale was co-named in his honor in December 2023.

Lance Corporal Thomas P. Noonan Jr. (1943-1969) was a Vietnam War Veteran born in Brooklyn, New York. In 1961 he attended Hunter College in the Bronx, graduating with a B.A. degree in Physical Education in 1966. Noonan enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in Brooklyn at the end of 1967 and was discharged to enlist in the regular Marine Corps early 1968. Noonan completed recruit training with the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina, and was promoted to private first class in spring 1968. Summer of 1968 Noonan was ordered to the Republic of Vietnam. He was first assigned duty as a mortar man with H\&S Company, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein), FMF. Later Noonan was reassigned to the 3rd Marine Division as a rifleman, where he saw combat with Company G, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines. Noonan was promoted to Lance Corporal January 1st, 1969. Lance Corporal Noonan was killed in action February 5th, 1969 while participating in action against the enemy during Operation Dewey Canyon south of Vandegrift Combat Base in Quang Tri Province. Noonan was awarded the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze stars, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. He was also awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously by President Richard Nixon. As described in the citation, Noonan was awarded this medal for his indomitable courage, inspiring initiative, and selfless devotion to duty. Noonan died attempting to bring wounded men away from enemy fire and back to safety. Noonan dashed across the hazardous terrain of the area and commenced dragging the most seriously wounded man. Although wounded and knocked to the ground by an enemy round, Lance Corporal Noonan recovered rapidly and resumed dragging the man toward the marginal security of a rock. He was however, mortally wounded before he could reach his destination. His actions inspired his fellow Marines to such passion that they initiated a spirited assault which forced the enemy soldiers to withdraw. In December 2004, Jack Lincks wrote: "You are gone from our presence, but never forgotten. You would be amazed that so many remember you, and that our childhood playground is now named for you. Till we meet again - Semper Fi !" The L/CPL Thomas P. Noonan Jr. Playground holds Noonan's memory, as well as those who knew him.

Maureen Walthers (1934 – 2020) was the owner and publisher of the Ridgewood Times and Times Newsweekly. Walthers was a homemaker in the 1970s when she wrote a letter to the editor of the Ridgewood Times about drug use at a playground a block away. The letter impressed the paper’s then-publisher, and she was offered a job as a writer - it began a five-decade association with the weekly newspaper covering the Greater Ridgewood area (Ridgewood, Glendale, Maspeth, and Middle Village). She was on the front lines covering the civic scene in Ridgewood and neighboring Bushwick, Brooklyn, during the 1970s. She would ride along with police officers and firefighters as they responded to emergencies in both communities and chronicled the rampant urban decay in Bushwick an award-winning seven-part series, “The Agony of Bushwick,” published in the Ridgewood Times in the summer and fall of 1977. The series brought further public awareness of the community’s woes, and action from the city to reverse the decline. Walthers was one of the founding members of the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society and took an active role in helping to preserve and landmark the Onderdonk House, a colonial farmhouse on Flushing Avenue. She was also an active member of Queens Community Board 5 for many years and served for a time as the chair of its Public Safety Committee. She was also involved with the Greater Ridgewood Restoration Corporation, which promotes the preservation of the neighborhood’s housing stock. In 1981, she became the Ridgewood Times’ first female editor, as well as executive vice president and co-owner. She became owner of the paper and expanded it over the next three decades beyond the Greater Ridgewood area. She launched the Times Newsweekly in 1989, a version of the Ridgewood Times distributed in northwestern and southwestern Queens communities, extending out as far north as Astoria and as far south Howard Beach. The Times Newsweekly sponsored Cop of the Month awards at eight precincts covering western Queens and Bushwick.

Dr. Dolores Beckham (1954-2016) was an educator for 40 years and served as the principal of Joseph Pulitzer Middle School since 1999. She was an alumna of Queens College, Columbia University, and St. John’s University, where she received her Ph.D. Under her leadership, Joseph Pulitzer Middle School in Jackson Heights introduced a dual language program. It was one of 15 recognized as Chancellor’s Citywide Model Dual Language Programs. She was a Fulbright Award-winning principal in 2008 and traveled around the world for conferences on education and leadership.

Louis Windmuller (1835-1913) was a civic leader and businessman who summered in Woodside until his death. He was born in Westphalia Germany and emigrated to the United States at the age of 18. He began working in the banking industry and chartered several banks that served New York’s growing German immigrant population. Windmuller also helped found the German-American Insurance Company in response to the devastating fire that destroyed Chicago in 1871. Later in life Windmuller devoted his energies to civic service, becoming active with the Reform Club, the New-York Historical Society, the Legal Aid Society, the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Cathay Williams (1844-1893) was born in Independence, Missouri. Her mother was a slave and her father was free. She worked as a house slave on the Johnson plantation on the outskirts of Jefferson City, Missouri. In 1861, Union forces occupied Jefferson City during the early stages of the Civil War. Like other captured slaves, she was designated as contraband and served as an Army cook and washerwoman. In this role, she accompanied the infantry all over the country. Williams served under the service of General Philip Sheridan and witnessed the Red River Campaign and the Battle of Pea Ridge. She enlisted voluntarily when she was 17 in 1866. Because of the prohibition against women serving in the military, she enlisted as a man, under the name of "William Cathay". Williams was assigned to the 38th U.S. Infantry Regiment for three years. Due to health issues, a surgeon finally discovered she was a woman and informed the post commander. She was honorably discharged by her commanding officer, Captain Charles E. Clarke, on October 14, 1868. She then signed up with an emerging all-black regiment that would eventually become part of the legendary Buffalo Soldiers. Following her discharge, Williams worked as a cook and seamstress. She had a troubled marriage and had her husband arrested after he stole her money and a team of horses. It was during this time that her story first became public. A reporter from St. Louis heard rumors of a female African-American who had served in the army and came to interview her. Her life and military service narrative was published in the St. Louis Daily Times on January 2, 1876. Suffering from neuralgia and diabetes, she was denied a military pension in 1893. The exact date of her death is unknown, but it is believed she died shortly after she was denied.

Demetris Kastanas, known as “Mr. Greek TV,” was the owner of National Greek Television (NGTV), the first private Greek-owned and Greek-speaking TV channel in the U.S. Kastanas was born in Fthiotida in the village of Molos, and grew up in Greece, studying law while working at the Ioniki-Laiki Bank. He moved to the U.S. when he was 25 years old and first inaugurated a Greek weekly show on an American station on September 25, 1975. NGTV, now New Greek Television, was established in December 1987, when it began airing on the Time-Warner Cable system in Queens and Brooklyn. Kastanas ran the channel for 37 years, until he sold it to a group of Greek Americans in 2012. His channel and programs were a staple in many Greek American households in New York. Kastanas also founded Eseis, a bi-weekly magazine to address issues of concern to the Hellenic-American community. His work provided Greek Americans with a connection to their homeland through Hellenic news, folklore and music, and also helped new Greek immigrants assimilate into life in the United States.