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. In 1942, Daniel Carter Beard Mall was named in his honor by local law. Located on an esplanade at Northern Boulevard between Main Street and Linden Place in Beard’s former neighborhood of Flushing, it is the western portion of what was formerly Flushing Park, now known as Flushing Greens. Other sites in Flushing named for Beard include Daniel Carter Beard Memorial Square and J.H.S. 189 Daniel Carter Beard.

William D. Modell (1921-2008) was born in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, and attended New York University. He succeeded his father in running Modell’s, the nation’s oldest family-owned sporting goods company, for 60 years. Under his leadership, Modell’s became a popular chain of sporting good stores selling athletic equipment and accessories. He was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to the Panama Canal Treaty negotiating committee and was also co-founder of the Jeffrey Modell Foundation for Immunological Research (his son Michael died of Crohn’s disease) and founder of Gilda’s Club in New York. He was inducted into the National Sporting Goods Hall of Fame by former President George H.W. Bush in 1994 and also became a member of the Discount Retail Hall of Fame.

Theodor Herzl (1860-1904) was an Austrian Jewish journalist and playwright best known for role as founder of the political form of Zionism, a movement to establish an independent Jewish State. He was born in 1860 in Budapest, Hungary to Jakob and Jeanette Herzl, who were both wealthy German-speaking Jews. Though Herzl received his degree in law at the University of Vienna, he later focused on literature and was a successful journalist and playwright. He published a Zionist manifesto called “Der Judenstaat” in 1896. Subsequently, he put together the first Zionist Congress to take the steps to establish the Jewish State. He was the leader of the organization until his death at the age of forty-four in 1904. He was the only person mentioned by name in Israel’s Declaration of Independence and was known as the founder of the vision for the Jewish State. The Herzl’s monument was built a hundred years after his birth. It was designed by Joseph DiLorenzi and funded by the Kew Garden Zionist District. The Herzl monument is across the street from a Jewish high school and is regarded as a symbol of Jewish community strength.

John McHugh Sr. (1924 - 2019) Of Whitestone, Queens, was a decorated American World War II veteran who participated in the D-Day invasion, the Battle of Normandy, and the Battle of the Bulge. Corporal John McHugh graduated from Morris Park High School in the Bronx in 1942 and enlisted in the army with his friends following Pearl Harbor. He was in the 1st Infantry Division, which arrived in landing craft at Omaha Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944. was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the European Theater of Operations Ribbon, Two Presidential Unit Citations, and Combat Infantry Badge and the Fort Eger given by Belgium. The State of New York placed him in its Veterans Hall of Fame. After the war, McHugh came back to Whitestone, married his childhood sweetheart Rosie McGee, and worked as a Transit Authority conductor.

Detective Brian R. Moore (d. 2015), a promising officer with the NYPD's Anti-Crime Unit, was shot and killed while on duty in plainclothes on May 4, 2015 in Queens Village. Only 25 years old, he was just a few months shy of his fifth year on the force. Appointed on July 6, 2010, Moore began his career in the 103 Impact Zone of Queens South. He later transferred to the 105 Precinct in May 2012. Throughout his service, he earned two Excellent Police Duty medals and two Meritorious Police Duty medals for his outstanding police work. He also made a commendable 160 arrests. In the wake of his tragic passing, Commissioner Bratton posthumously promoted Detective Moore to the rank of Detective First Grade.

Jacob August Riis (1849-1914), best known as a groundbreaking journalist and photographer, spent many of his working years in Richmond Hill, moving into his home nearby this triangle at 84-41 120th Street in 1886. 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 soon began documenting poverty, especially in the Lower East Side and Five Points areas of Manhattan. Starting around 1887, Riis brought along a camera, and in 1890, his book How the Other Half Lives was released. It contained dramatic photos and essays illustrating the challenging lives of immigrants on the Lower East Side. The book profoundly impacted the country, particularly New York, where the Police Commissioner at the time was Theodore Roosevelt. Riis's work inspired Roosevelt to support legislation aimed at improving living conditions in the slums. While Governor, Roosevelt attended Riis's daughter's wedding on June 1, 1900, at the Church of the Resurrection, the oldest church in Richmond Hill, located just a few blocks from this triangle. A plaque outside the church commemorates Roosevelt's appearance, while a memorial to the Riis family is located inside. Through his reporting on the struggles of New Yorkers, Riis developed a belief that play had a therapeutic effect on people. As a result, he championed small parks and playgrounds, especially in areas with little green space, and served as secretary of the Small Parks Committee. While on a speaking tour in 1914, Riis fell ill at a stop in New Orleans. His family brought him to their summer home in Barre, Massachusetts, to recuperate, but he passed away on May 26, 1914. Originally acquired by the City of New York in 1945, this park was officially named for Riis on May 8, 1990. The renaming was proposed by Council Member Arthur Katzman at the request of Felix Cuervo and Robert P. Mangieri of the Native New Yorker’s Historical Association. A dedication ceremony was held on September 15, 1990. Two other locations in Queens are also named for Riis: a park in Rockaway and a community center (settlement house) in Queensbridge.

Helen Marshall (1929-2017) was the first African American Queens Borough President from 2002 – 2013. Marshall was born in Manhattan to immigrant parents of African descent from Guyana. The family moved to Queens in 1949, settling first in Corona and then in East Elmhurst. Marshall graduated with a B.A. in education from Queens College. After teaching for eight years, she left to help found the Langston Hughes Library in 1969, where she was the first Director. She served in the State Assembly for 8 years and then served on the City Council for 10 years, before becoming the first African American and the second woman to serve as the Queens Borough President. She supported job training programs and economic development and was a devoted supporter of the Queens Public Library. In 2020 as part of an NYC Parks initiative to expand the representation of African Americans honored in parks, East Elmhurst Park was renamed for Helen Marshall.

Police Officer Charles James Reynolds (1893-1923). On the night of July 26, 1923, Reynolds, along with fellow officer Frank Romanelli, got a ride from Queens to their station house at the 116th precinct in Manhattan. While crossing the Queensboro Bridge, they heard a woman screaming from a taxicab. They managed to stop the cab in Manhattan on 2nd Avenue at 64th Street. The passengers, a man and a woman, insisted that, though they had had an argument, everything was fine. Reynolds, who had pulled the man from the cab, then told the man to get back in and instructed the cab driver to take them to the nearest precinct, where they would be questioned. The man then shot and killed both officers and escaped. Council Member Robert F. Holden introduced legislation to rename the street 100 years later, in December 2023, and the new street name was unveiled on April 13, 2024. The intersection is located near the 104th Precinct station house on Catalpa Avenue. Prior to his Manhattan post, Officer Reynolds had served at the Glendale station for three of his four years in the department. He left behind a wife and two young children. Because his time with the police had been brief, his family did not immediately receive his pension. Therefore, officers arranged a block party fundraiser to assist his widow. The event took place on September 22, 1923, near the renamed intersection, on what is now 70th Avenue, between 60th Street and Fresh Pond Road.

Jeromus Remsen (1735-1790), a native of the area that is now Forest Hills, served during the French and Indian War of 1757. He became active in local politics and rose to the rank of colonel in the Kings and Queens County Militia, fighting in the Revolutionary War's Battle of Long Island. Jeromus Remsen's grandfather, Abraham, settled in the "Forest Hills" area, then known as Hempstead Swamp in the Town of Newtown. His son, Jeromus, lived on the family farm, and then had his son, also named Jeromus, who was born on November 22, 1735. Following his service in the French and Indian War, Remsen became part of the minority in Queens who opposed the King after the colonies declared independence. Active in Whig politics, Remsen appointed a committee to ensure that the measures of the Continental Congress of 1774 were followed within Newtown. His military experience and political stance made him a natural choice to lead a regiment of militia soldiers as a colonel. He gathered his regiment during the summer of 1776 as British troops amassed on Staten Island. He commanded the 7th New York Regiment, which were among those who joined the brigade of General Greene in Brooklyn, and who were routed at the Battle of Long Island. After their retreat, Remsen fled to New Jersey for safety, where he remained until after the war. Remsen died on June 22, 1790. His wife Anna, daughter of Cornelius Rapelje, whom he had married on April 31, 1768, lived until 1816. They are among a small handful of Remsen family members that were buried in their family plot, which still exists just a short distance from the school that has his name. The triangular-shaped Remsen Family Cemetery at Alderton Street and Trotting Course Lane became a New York City Landmark in 1981 and came under the care of the Parks Department in 2005, though not without local opposition, as residents felt the local American Legion had been taking adequate care of the space already for some time. For many years the Remsen Family Cemetery and Remsen himself were the central point of Memorial Day events in the area. Parades attended by thousands began at the cemetery, and Revolutionary War reenactments took place at nearby Forest Park. Interest in designating the school, which opened in 1931, to honor the local colonel of a regiment of Kings and Queens County Militia, came in the 1950s. Diane Petagine of American Legion Post 1424's Auxiliary is credited with efforts to rename P.S. 144 in Remsen's honor, which went into effect in 1956.

Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) was a towering figure in the arena of equality and women's rights, especially in the movement to grant women the right to vote. Born in 1820, she was raised with the Quaker idea that all people are equal under God. Her parents and several siblings were active in the abolition movement, and Anthony herself became a leading speaker and activist in that cause at a young age. When the women's suffrage movement was born following the seminal Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, NY (1848), Anthony joined the cause with enthusiasm and quickly became its most visible advocate. With her friend and fellow activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Anthony gave speeches and organized protests around the country, and published a newspaper, "The Revolution," focused on women's rights. In 1872, Anthony was arrested for attempting to vote in the presidential election, and the resulting trial brought significant national attention to the women's suffrage movement. Thereafter, the organization founded by Anthony and Stanton -- the National Woman Suffrage Association -- focused on calling for a constitutional amendment to give women the right to vote. Anthony died in 1906, 14 years before the 19th Amendment was passed, guaranteeing women's voting rights. Her grave in Rochester, NY, attracts many visitors who often leave thank-you notes and other memorials for her work on women's behalf. In 1979, she was selected as the first woman featured on a U.S. coin, the Susan B. Anthony dollar.

Charles J. Vallone (1902-1967) was a judge on the Queens County Civil Court. He received his law degree from Fordham University in 1928 and went into private practice until being appointed to fill a vacancy on the court by Mayor Robert F. Wagner in 1955. He was then re-elected twice to the post, serving until his death in 1967. A number of Vallone's descendants have continued in public service, including his son Peter, a New York City Council member from 1974 to 2001, and grandsons Peter Jr. and Paul, both of whom have served as Council members from Queens.

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.

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.

Sergeant Wilbur E. Colyer (1901-1918) was an American soldier who served in the U.S. Army during World War I. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and later moved to South Ozone Park, Queens. At the age of 17, he enlisted in the army and served as a member of Company A of the 1st Engineers, 1st Division. On October 9, 1918, near Verdun, France, Colyer volunteered to lead a team of soldiers to locate and destroy enemy machine gun nests. While advancing on the enemy positions, Colyer became half surrounded by machine gun nests. He killed the gunner of one nest with a captured German grenade and then turned the gun on the other nests, silencing them all. He then returned to his platoon, having saved them from heavy fire. Colyer was killed in action the following day, October 10, 1918. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery and selfless actions, the first and youngest Queens resident to do to so. This small triangle in South Ozone Park named in his honor features a historic stone marker and plaque commemorating Colyer's service and sacrifice.

In 1970, Iccey Elvalina Gibbs Newton (1939-1993) and her husband moved to Woodside where they raised four children. She helped form the Woodside Tenants Association and then worked for NYCHA for 20 years. She started tenant patrols in Woodside Houses and served as District Coordinator for the Girl Scouts of America. She served on Community Board 1 from 1991 until her death.

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.

Gordon Parks (1912 - 2006) was one of the best-known photographers of the twentieth century. He was the first African American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines. He did groundbreaking work for the FAS (Farm Security Administration) and left behind an exceptional body of work that documents American life and culture from the early 1940s into the 2000s, with a focus on race relations, poverty, civil rights, and urban life. Parks also published books on the art and craft of photography, books of poetry, which he illustrated with his own photographs, and wrote three volumes of memoirs. He pursued movie directing and screenwriting, working at the helm of the films The Learning Tree based on his semi-autobiographical novel, and Shaft. In addition, Parks was a founding member of Essence Magazine, and served as its first editorial director.

Edwin Hoyt (1804-1874) was a businessman who lived in Astoria in the 1800s. he was the millionaire senior partner in Hoyt, Sprague, and Co., a dry goods business, with Governor William Sprague of Rhode Island. Hoyt’s son, Edwin Chase Hoyt, and Governor Sprague’s son both married daughters of Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury under President Abraham Lincoln, and later Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. When Hoyt died on May 15, 1874, at the age of 70, all prominent dry goods businessmen kept their doors closed on the morning of his funeral out of respect for the deceased.

Dr. Ronald Erwin McNair (1950-1986) was the second Black astronaut in the U.S. to fly to space. In 1978, NASA selected him out of thousands to embark on the 10th space shuttle mission. On his second mission to space on January 28, 1986, he and six other of his crew members were killed in the space shuttle Challenger explosion. Born and raised in Lake City, South Carolina, he excelled academically. At just nine years old, he attempted to check out advanced science and calculus books from his local library but was met with hostility from the librarian due to his skin color. Overcoming discrimination in the South, he became valedictorian of his high school and soon took a special interest in physics. He earned his Bachelor's of Science from North Carolina A\&T State University and a PhD in laser physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. McNair would soon accumulate several academic awards, including Presidential Scholar, NATO Fellow, and Omega Psi Phi Scholar of the Year Award. McNair has since become a hero to those underrepresented in education. Following the late astronaut's death, Congress endowed the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, dedicated to encouraging underrepresented ethnic groups and low-income students to enroll in PhD programs.

Ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Wilson Rantus Rock, October 27, 2022.

Conrad Poppenhusen (1818-1883), entrepreneur and philanthropist, was born in Hamburg, Germany on April 1, 1818. After working for a whalebone merchant as a whalebone purchaser in Europe, Poppenhusen moved to the United States in 1843 to set up a whalebone processing plant on the Brooklyn waterfront. In 1852 he obtained a license from Charles Goodyear to manufacture hard rubber goods, and then moved his firm to a farming village in what is now Queens. Poppenhusen is credited with creating the Village of College Point, which was formed in 1870 when it incorporated the neighborhoods of Flammersburg and Strattonport. In order to accommodate his factory workers he initiated numerous developments; including the establishment of housing, the First Reformed Church, and construction of streets.. In 1868, he opened the Flushing and North Side Railroad, which connected the town to New York City. In that same year he also founded the Poppenhusen Institute, which was comprised of a vocational high school and the first free kindergarten in the United States, and is the oldest school in Queens today. After Poppenhusen retired in 1871, his family lost much of its fortune due to the financial mismanagement by his three sons. Conrad Poppenhusen died in College Point on December 12, 1883.

The following text was contributed by Det. Abear's widow, Catherine Abear: Ray Abear \[1976-2020] was a Queens native and spent his entire life in this community – he was raised on this block and this is where he would start a family and raise his children as well. He attended St. Nicholas of Tolentine church, P.S. 131 and St. John’s University. His first job was at Mark’s Aquarium on Parsons Boulevard, which gave him his passion for sea life, something he shared with many communities he came into contact with. He even helped businesses, community members and members of the NYPD set up their own aquariums. There’s even a fish tank in his memory at the Queens Special Victims office.   Ray’s passion and commitment to the community was professional as well. His entire 20-year career in the NYPD was spent making the Queens community a better place – first in the 112th Precinct and then in the Queens Special Victims Squad. Local business owners, restaurants, community members – everyone knew Ray and his giant smile.   There are few more challenging tasks in law enforcement than Special Victims, and Ray was passionate about his work with the Queens Squad. Each of the letters from colleagues supporting this honor of a street co-naming highlighted the compassion, patience, sensitivity and skill Ray brought to this most difficult work and the commitment he brought to finding justice for these individuals. One letter even said, “No one performed this difficult work better than Detective Raymond Abear.”   This honor – having their dad’s name permanently affixed to this street corner – is a reminder to his children that their dad was a hero not only to his family but the entire community and he will never be forgotten. Ray’s legacy will live on forever thanks to everyone who helps keep his memory alive.

Police Officer Paul Talty (1960-2001) worked as an electrician and carpenter before joining the New York City Police Department in 1993. Talty was a member of the New York City Police Department for nine years. He worked for the New York City Police Department’s emergency services unit based in Flushing. He was killed on September 11, 2001 during rescue operations following the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Officer. He is survived by his wife and three children. He was posthumously awarded the New York City Police Department's Medal of Honor for his heroic actions. He was assigned to ESU Truck 10.

Laura Almeida Egas (d. 2017) a native of Ecuador, moved to Queens with her young children in 1975. She began work as a seamstress and soon organized coworkers and learned labor laws to demand they be paid the appropriate wage and have better working conditions - a fight she won. When Almeida became involved as a parishioner at the Most Precious Blood church, her work to support fellow congregants who were unable to attend mass showed her that many needed more than prayers. She recruited other members to help get them, and members of the greater community, to their doctors, get them food and clean their homes. Almeida was well known for her extensive community service, particularly amazing as she was a single parent of three daughters, including Queens Supreme Court Justice Carmen Velasquez.

William Prince Jr. (1766-1842) was a horticulturalist, entrepreneur, nursery owner, and author who was instrumental in the growth of his family’s nursery business in Flushing. The Princes were pioneers in American horticulture, and their family-run nursery thrived for 130 years over four generations, introducing plants from around the world to this country. Prince’s grandfather, Robert Prince, owned a fruit farm on eight acres near Flushing Creek. Around 1737, Robert’s son, William Prince Sr. helped expand it into the first commercial nursery in the United States. The Prince nursery was considered of such value that the operation was protected by the British during the Revolutionary War. It was visited by presidents, including George Washington in 1789 and Thomas Jefferson in 1791 (who placed a large order for his home in Monticello). William Jr. greatly expanded the business, running it from around 1793 to his death in 1842, when ownership passed to his son, William R. Prince. The nursery ultimately closed in 1869. William Prince Jr. was one of thirteen children born to William Sr. and Ann (Thorne) Prince. William Jr. married Mary Stratton, and the couple had four children. On William Sr.’s death in 1793, the business passed to William Jr. and his brother, Benjamin. William Jr. expanded his portion of the nursery when he purchased 80 adjacent acres in Flushing, calling it Linnaean Botanic Garden after Carolus Linnaeus, a biologist credited with formalizing the modern system of naming species. A member of prominent horticultural societies in London, Paris, and Florence, William Jr. authored A Treatise on Horticulture (1828), which is the first comprehensive American book on the subject. To further improve the business, William Jr. formed the Flushing Bridge and Road Company and built the first bridge over Flushing Creek, with a toll crossing completed around 1801. Completion of the project reduced the distance to Brooklyn by about four miles, making travel and operational expansion easier for the nursery. The bridge was later transformed into a drawbridge and was subsequently rebuilt several times over its history. The William Prince Bridge (often referred to as the Flushing Bridge or the Flushing Creek Bridge) spans Flushing Creek via Northern Boulevard/25A in northwestern Queens, and its current iteration was constructed in 1980.

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.

Don Capalbi (d. 2018) was a civic leader and community activist in the Queensboro Hill neighborhood of Flushing, Queens. Capalbi was the son of an Italian immigrant mother and an American father, and he grew up in Astoria. He was also a businessman and owned the College Green Pub on Kissena Boulevard, which he sold in the early 2010s. Capalbi served as president of the Queensboro Hill Flushing Civic Association and was a member of many other community groups. He also served as a community liaison for Assemblywoman Grace Meng. In addition to his street co-naming he has been honored with an engraved bench at the Queens Botanical Garden.

Ann Buehler (1916 – 2010), began as a volunteer fundraiser in 1952 at the Boys Club, later known as the Variety Boys and Girls Club; eventually it became her career, and she became the first female executive director of the Variety Boys and Girls Club where she served for 30 years and was affiliated with for more than 50 years. She worked as the Civil Service Commissioner under Mayors Koch and Beame and was president of the Astoria Women’s Club, member of the Ravenswood Lions Club, Astoria Civic Association, United Community Civic Association, Astoria Historical Society and board member of Central Astoria Local Development. She received a citation from President Truman for volunteer work during World War II and also volunteered for the Red Cross and Greater NY Fund and received many citations from the 114th Police Precinct. She was also responsible for obtaining many college scholarships for Variety Boys and Girls Club members.

Joseph J. Lynch (1906-1940) and Ferdinand A. Socha (1904-1940) were detectives in the elite six-man Bomb and Forgery Squad of the New York City Police Department. They were killed in the line of duty while examining a time bomb taken from the British Pavilion of the World’s Fair in Flushing Meadow Park on July 4, 1940. Socha was off duty at the time when his partner, Lynch, called him at home for assistance after a suspicious ticking satchel was discovered at the New York World’s Fair. To help ensure the safety of thousands of daily visitors, the satchel had been brought outside the building to an areaway in the back of the Polish Pavilion. As Lynch cut open the package, he discovered approximately 12 sticks of dynamite, reportedly noting to Socha, “It’s the business,” and the bomb went off immediately after. The incident killed the two detectives instantly, leaving a crater two feet deep and six feet across. Five other officers were injured, two critically. Though the bombers were never caught, one theory suggests the bombing was engineered to push the United States into joining Britain in the war against Germany. The case remains open to this day, along with a $26,000 reward. No other deaths resulted from the explosion, and the two officers were accorded full department honors by the NYPD. Lynch was born in Greenwich Village, one of eight children to John Lynch, an NYPD patrolman, and Mary (Landers) Lynch, originally of Ireland. He attended Manhattan High School and continued his studies at the Graduate School of Pharmacy at Fordham University. Lynch aspired to open an apothecary, but a civil service job offered him more security during the Great Depression, so he followed his father and his brother into the NYPD. He officially entered the force on March 9, 1936, and rose quickly to the role of detective. The father of five children, he and his wife, Easter C. (Hare) Lynch, were living with their family in the Kingsbridge neighborhood of the Bronx at the time of his death. Socha was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, to Polish-immigrant parents Joseph and Franciska (Plachta) Socha. One of five children, he attended P.S. 110 and Eastern District High School and spent three years at Columbia University before transferring to Long Island Medical School. In 1919, he married Genevieve Waskiewicz, and the couple continued to live in Greenpoint. Socha hoped to become a physician, but opted instead to join the NYPD, beginning his service on December 1, 1931. As with his partner Lynch, Socha rose quickly in the ranks to his position as detective. Twenty-four years after the bombing that took their lives, a plaque was dedicated in their honor in 1964 at the second New York World’s Fair. The plaque is located along Avenue of the States near the Queens Museum in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. It is across the fairgrounds from where the event took place, which is now underneath the Van Wyck Expressway. The inscription reads: “THIS PLAQUE IS DEDICATED TO THE/ MEMORY OF DETECTIVES/ JOSEPH J. LYNCH AND FERDINAND A. SOCHA / BOMB AND FORGERY SQUAD / WHO WERE KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY / WHILE EXAMINING A TIME BOMB TAKEN FROM / THE BRITISH PAVILION OF THE WORLD'S FAIR / IN FLUSHING MEADOW PARK AT 4:45 PM ON / JULY 4, 1940.”

Denis P. Gorman (1903-1963) was a civic leader devoted to providing recreational facilities for the youth of Queens. Through Gorman’s efforts, the City acquired this parkland, and today the playground honors his memory. Gorman also helped to bring franchised bus service to Jackson Heights in 1932. As the Chairman of the Youth Activities Committee he helped to build 20 Little League baseball fields in five months. He was head of the Elmjack Little League for ten years and was a founding member of local youth councils. Gorman also served as the Democratic District Leader of Jackson Heights. After a lifetime spent serving his city, Gorman died in August, 1963.

Gertrude McDonald (1917-2017) was a long-time community activist who served on Community Board 2 for over 40 years and held positions at the 108th Precinct Community Council and the United Forties Civic Association. She was an active member of Sunnyside Community Services. In 1968, she was the first woman to run for elected office as a Democrat in Queens. Although her campaign for a seat in the New York State Assembly was unsuccessful, she helped lay the foundation for other women to run for office and win. She continued to help pave the way for women in Queens politics until her passing on March 21, 2017 at the age of 100.

George Upton Harvey (1881-1946) was Queens Borough President from 1928 to 1941. Born in County Galway, Ireland, the Harveys moved to Chicago when George was five years old. His father founded The International Confectioner, a trade paper, and after working there Harvey served as a correspondent and photographer for the Army and Navy journal. A captain during World War I, he commanded Company A of the 308th Infantry Regiment, 77th Division. In 1920, Harvey was appointed Assistant Director of the State Income Tax Bureau in Jamaica, New York.  Harvey began his career in electoral politics when he successfully ran for election to the Board of Aldermen in 1921 as a Republican from Queens and was re-elected in 1923. Though Harvey lost the 1925 election for President of the Board of Aldermen, a sewer scandal resulting in the ouster of Borough President Maurice Connolly vaulted Harvey into the Borough Presidency in a special election to complete Connolly’s term. Harvey was Queens’ first Republican Borough President since the 1898 consolidation of New York City. He was re-elected to this office in 1929, 1933, and 1937, serving until 1941.  Harvey was a bitter foe of the Tammany political machine at home and Communism abroad. In 1928, he initiated a major expansion of arterial highway and parkway improvements in Queens. He also played an active role in the World’s Fair at Flushing Meadow in 1939-40. In 1932 and again in 1938, he considered running for Governor but ultimately declined to do so. On April 6, 1946, Harvey died of a heart attack while helping to battle a brush fire near his home in New Milford, Connecticut. The park also contains George U. Harvey Memorial Playground.

Karina Lariño (1984-2022) lived on 21st Street near 25th Road and since 2005, worked for the MTA as a cleaner and helper at the LaGuardia Bus Depot in East Elmhurst. On her street naming petition, her daughter Olivia Vasquez mentioned how her mother was very well known within the Astoria community and had lived there all her life. Karina studied at Immaculate Conception throughout elementary and middle school and continued her education at Long Island City High School and LaGuardia Community College. When she turned 21, she began to work for the MTA LaGuardia Bus Depot, and the staff quickly became a second family to her. The 38-year-old mother of one was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver just a block from her home in May 2022. A month after the crash near Astoria Park, police arrested the driver for failing to yield.

Marine Corps Lieutenant Saul Stein was born on October 23, 1921, and grew up in Queens. A budding actor, he attended Queens College from 1938-1941, when he left to serve in World War II. On February 1, 1944, he led the 3rd Platoon of F Company in the 2nd Battalion of the 24th Marine Infantry Regiment toward battle at Roi-Namur Island, part of the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Unknown to them, a blockhouse the Platoon planned to destroy contained torpedoes, and the resulting massive explosion killed 20 Marines, including Stein, and wounded more than 100 others. Harold Goldie, Army Private First Class, also grew up in Queens. He served for two years in the field artillery before being killed in action in North Africa on February 15, 1943. He was 26 years old. Goldie was posthumously awarded a Purple Heart in 1944. He is buried at North Africa American Cemetery in Tunisia. Mayor Robert Wagner signed a bill in October 1960 to name dedicate this plaza in their names on Veterans Day of that year, although it's possible it was not completed until 1964. The space has been maintained by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, as well as the Stein-Goldie Post 552 of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America, and other veterans in the area.

Lyndon B. Johnson was born on August 27, 1908 and grew up in rural Texas. Johnson served in the House of Representatives for six terms, from April 10, 1937 to January 3, 1949. He also served in the Senate from January 3, 1949 to January 3, 1961, becoming the youngest Minority Leader in Senate history in 1953, and then Majority Leader in the following year. As a Senator, one of Johnson’s greatest achievements was the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the first civil rights law in 82 years. He also pushed the United States on space exploration. In 1961, he resigned to serve as Vice President for John F. Kennedy. After John F. Kennedy. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, Johnson was sworn in on the same day, and became the 36th President of the United States. The next year he ran for President against Barry Goldwater and won with the widest popular margin in American history. In the wake of Kennedy’s assassination, Johnson resolved to finish what Kennedy was unable to complete. He pushed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through the Senate, and moved on to focusing on his goal to “build a great society, a place where the meaning of man’s life matches the marvels of man’s labor”. His agenda included aid to education, a war against poverty, and the removal of obstacles to the right to vote. Although Johnson managed to achieve much of his agenda, one of his greatest obstacles was the Vietnam War. Johnson’s goal was to end Communist aggression, and while he pledged in his campaign to limit military involvement in Vietnam, he instead increased the number of U.S. troops. Along with the controversy surrounding the war, controversy around Johnson’s domestic policy also grew, as his Great Society failed to materialize and racial tensions increased significantly, especially in 1968, following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Tensions escalated, as did the casualties, and Johnson declared he would not run for re-election in the election of 1968, resolving to focus on achieving peace through negotiations. When he left office, peace talks had begun, but he died suddenly of a heart attack at his Texas ranch on January 22, 1973.

Morton Povman (1931-2024) was a New York City Council Member, representing District 24 in central Queens. He is the longest-serving council member in City Council history, representing his district from 1971 to 2001. He was born in Brooklyn in 1931 to Russian Jewish parents. He attended City College and Brooklyn Law School, where he graduated first in his class and served as editor-in-chief of the Brooklyn Law Review. After graduating, he opened a law office in Forest Hills, where he practiced for over sixty years. His first entry into politics was in 1960, when he joined a Democratic club in Richmond Hill, initially with the sole intention of finding more legal clients. However, he began to get more involved in local politics, serving as legal counsel to Moses Weinstein, the majority leader of the New York State Assembly. In 1971, he was selected to replace Donald Manes on the City Council after Manes became Queens Borough President. As a City Council Member, Povman was remembered as a principled, independent thinker. He successfully opposed measures to build high-rise apartments and a racetrack in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, in spite of the support the plans had from the mayor and borough president. He was instrumental in bringing Arthur Ashe Stadium, now the site of the US Open, to the park, though the measure was unpopular among his constituents. He also served as chair of the City Council Committee on Health, and fought to keep the Metropolitan Hospital in East Harlem open in opposition to Mayor Ed Koch. Though he had the opportunity to pursue higher political positions, Povman chose to continue running for City Council, as it gave him enough time to continue his law practice and spend time with his family. He married Sandra Arkow in 1958 and they had two sons, both lawyers.

Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) was born in Scotland and received higher education at the University of Edinburgh and the University of London. In 1871, he immigrated to Canada and then the U.S. in 1871. Bell’s research centered on speech and sound and the ways it can be manipulated to be more accessible. He was inspired by his mother who was deaf to create the first international phonetic alphabet. Bell’s experimentation of sound went way beyond the lab. He started to play with vibrations in hobbies and everyday life. He observed how his dog's barking patterns and pitch concerned the throat’s vibration. While practicing piano, he also discovered that you could mimic the chords of a piano in another room by the echo of it, leading him to realize they were being transmitted through the air. From this observation, he experimented with the ideas of waves and wires coming together to form an invention that could carry sound over differing distances. In 1876 this invention was patented as the telephone. Soon after, in 1876, Bell founded the Bell Company to distribute the communication device to the public. Although Bell was most famous for the telephone, a way to transport sound, he also participated in the invention of other transportation devices. He developed blueprints of airplanes, kites, and watercrafts. Bell's Silver Dart successfully flew a half mile in 1909 and his HD-4 was the fastest watercraft in the world. In 1888, Bell and his son-in-law invested their work into National Geography, an up-and-coming journal which bloomed into a well renowned science entity. P.S. 205Q Alexander Graham Bell School was established in 1954.

English explorer and navigator Henry Hudson (1575-1611) is credited as the first European to “discover” the North River, later named for him. On September 2, 1609, Hudson, the captain of the Dutch ship Halve Maen (Half Moon), directed his ship to drop anchor in the lower bay of what is now known as New York Harbor. Henry Hudson had been hired by the Dutch East India Company to find a sea route through North America to the Far East. The ship sailed up the river that now bears his name, docking off Spuyten Duyvil and attempting travel even further upstream before abandoning the quest, realizing that the river was narrowing. Hudson’s last voyage was in 1611 when, after discovering Hudson’s Bay and claiming it for England, his crew mutinied and cast him adrift. The Dutch East India Company soon afterward establish an outpost that became New Netherland, and eventually the metropolis we know as New York.

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

Marguerite Henderson was very dedicated to her family, seniors and the East Elmhurst community. She attended P.S. 127 in East Elmhurst and went to I.S. 145, Newtown High School, and graduated from LaGuardia Community College. She was a member of Mt. Olivet Church where she was an active choir member. She joined the First Baptist Church and became an active member of the church’s trustee ministry. She was also involved in the East Elmhurst Community Board. She was dedicated to the families and seniors in East Elmhurst, ensuring they had food and resources as part of the First Baptist Church food pantry ministry. From organizing and executing back-to-school giveaways and toy and coat drives during the holidays, to serving thousands of families on a weekly basis before and during the height of the pandemic, she was truly dedicated to her community. She also assisted many families financially, helping with bills, rent, food and shopping for their children. She spent hours talking to teenagers and counseling the neighborhood youth who were at risk of heading in the wrong direction. She was very protective of her family, specifically her children and grandchildren. Everyone on 96th Street and the East Elmhurst/Corona community knew Marguerite and was often affectionately called all sorts of nicknames by her loved ones and friends: Margret, Ursel, Big Marg, Gangsta Boo, Boo Thang, Baby Cakes, Ma, “Reet,” Babe, Mama Marguerite, sweet sweet Marguerite, Gramma and the East Elmhurst General. She was steadfast in her commitment and thanks to her dedication, many families had food on the table, coats for the winter, school supplies for their children, and most of all her love showing them that Marguerite had their back, especially throughout one of the worst pandemics of recent times.

Felix J. Cuervo (1919-1992) founded and served as president of the Native New Yorkers Historical Association, a group that led tours and installed memorials to honor local historical figures and events. Born on June 25, 1919 in Brooklyn, Cuervo served in the Navy in World War II and briefly attended Columbia University and New York University. He worked as a personnel administrator for several federal and state agencies until his retirement in 1983. In 1962, he embraced his love of this city and organized the Native New Yorkers Historical Society, through which he was one of the first to provide historical walking tours in New York City. The organization's research and tours highlighted famous and lesser-known–and all fascinating–New Yorkers. Cuervo was instrumental in the installation of plaques to mark historic spots including the site of the famous Armory Art Show of 1913; the former Triangle Hofbrau restaurant, where actress Mae West got her start; and the home of President Chester A. Arthur, where he took his oath of office, and where he died four years later. Cuervo passed away on August 8, 1992 after suffering from cancer. He was 73 years old, and had lived in Richmond Hill for many years. This street, located near his family home, was co-named in his honor in 1993. Cuervo had once told The New York Times that his ambition was to "someday see New York City's buildings covered with little plaques, starting in the Battery and working all the way uptown. Then people on Sunday afternoons can walk through the city and realize what great things have taken place in so many of our buildings. And they can feel the same excitement that I felt when, as a boy, I used to walk with my father through old New York." We sincerely hope he would have appreciated the Queens Name Explorer!

Fiorello H. LaGuardia (1882–1947) was born in New York City to immigrant parents, attended public schools and graduated from New York University Law School in 1910. After practicing law for several years, he was elected as the nation’s first Italian American member of Congress in 1916. He served as a U.S. Representative until 1919, when he resigned to join the Army Air Service and serve in World War I. Upon his return, he was president of the New York City Board of Aldermen in 1920 and 1921, and was re-elected to Congress from 1923 to 1933. LaGuardia then served as mayor of New York City from 1934 to 1945. Among LaGuardia's many achievements as mayor, he is credited with unifying and modernizing New York City's public transit system, consolidating much of the city government, cracking down on illegal gambling, and beginning transportation projects that created many of the city’s bridges, tunnels, parkways and airports. He was also instrumental in the establishment of Queens College. In September 1937, Mayor LaGuardia broke ground on this airport's site. Its construction was funded through a $45 million Federal Works Progress Administration grant. More than half of the 558 acres on which the airport was built was man-made, filled in with more than 17 million cubic yards of cinders, ashes and trash. The new airport opened in 1939 as New York City Municipal Airport. In August 1940, the Board of Estimates renamed the facility for LaGuardia, who considered the project one of his greatest achievements. Today it is the third largest airport in the New York metropolitan area.

Luke the Evangelist, or Saint Luke, was a first-century Greek physician and writer. He is widely considered to be the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts, two substantial portions of the New Testament that were central to the early formation and expansion of Christianity. Most of what is known of Luke is taken directly or inferred from his own writings, as well as a small portion of the letters of Saint Paul, and also based on tradition. Born in Antioch, a major city in ancient Syria, Luke is considered by some scholars to be a gentile convert to Christianity, possibly due to exposure to the teachings of Jesus during a time when the early church was rapidly spreading throughout the Roman Empire. He was a travel companion to Saint Paul, accompanying him in evangelizing the teachings of Jesus across Ancient Greece and Rome. He remained with Paul during Paul’s imprisonment and eventual death in Rome around 64 CE. Luke continued to preach and write until his death, possibly as a martyr, at the age of 84, in Boeotia, a region of Central Greece. Composed in Greek, Luke’s writings are often described as methodical and detailed, with an engaging and polished style. He is considered the most literary of the New Testament writers, with a talent for vivid storytelling and historical precision. The Gospel of Luke provides an account of the life of Jesus and includes such well-known parables as the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan. Scholars note Luke’s emphasis on the compassion of Jesus toward the marginalized, including women, the poor, and sinners. Luke’s Acts of the Apostles is an early history of the Roman Catholic Church. It begins where the Gospel ends, with the Ascension of Christ to heaven, and describes the missionary work of the Apostles, especially Saint Paul, providing a window into the early history of Christianity. Known as the patron saint of physicians, Luke is also revered by artists. An eighth century tradition claims that he painted Mary, Paul, and Peter, and illustrated the Gospels. However, scholars largely consider this to be a legend. He is often represented by the ox in Christian iconography, which is said to symbolize the sacrifice and service of Jesus, as portrayed in Luke’s Gospel. Located at 16-01 150th Place in Whitestone, Saint Luke School is for grades pre-K through eight. Classes were originally offered in the basement of Saint Luke Church in 1910. On October 29, 1916, a new school building was opened in a ceremony officiated by Bishop Charles E. McDonnell.

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.

Stanislaw Kozikowski (1895-1967) fought in the United States Army during WWII and was awarded the Army’s Distinguished Service Cross. The citation read: “The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Stanislaw Kozikowski, Private, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Binarville, France, October 2–7, 1918. During the time when his company was isolated in the Argonne Forest and cut off from communication with friendly troops, Private Kozikowski, together with another soldier, volunteered to carry a message through the German lines, although he was aware that several unsuccessful attempts had been previously made by patrols and members of which were either killed, wounded or driven back. By his courage and determination, he succeeded in delivering the message and brought relief to his battalion.” After his discharge from the Army, he continued to serve his country working a job at the Brooklyn Navy Yard for over 30 years, mostly in Shop 31, which is today the home of New Lab.

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.

As part of his groundbreaking work as a journalist and photographer, Jacob August Riis (1849-1914) became a champion for social reforms that would help elevate people out of poverty. Riis was born on May 3, 1849 in Ribe, Denmark, and immigrated to New York in 1870. He worked various jobs before he was hired by the New York Tribune as a police reporter in 1877. He began working documenting poverty, especially in the Lower East Side and Five Points areas in Manhattan. Riis brought along a camera starting around 1887, and in 1890 his book How the Other Half Lives was released, which contained dramatic photos and essays illustrating the challenging lives of immigrants in the Lower East Side. The book had a big impact across the country, but in New York especially, where the Police Commissioner at the time was Theodore Roosevelt. Prior to becoming president, Riis' work inspired him to support legislation aimed at improving living conditions in the slums. Following in the footsteps of New York's settlement house pioneers, Riis helped the Circle of the King’s Daughters create and grow a settlement in the Lower East Side in the 1890s, and in 1901 it was renamed in his honor. It initially provided support for medical staff that offered help in the slums, but grew to provide health care, classes, and childcare support for those in need, as well. While on a speaking tour in 1914, Riis fell ill at a stop in New Orleans. His family brought him to their summer home in Barre, Massachusetts to recuperate, but he passed away on May 26, 1914. His legacy continued, though, and over the next several decades the Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement grew. The Queensbridge Houses opened in 1950. Queensbridge became the organization’s official headquarters in 1952, and by 1957, all Riis Settlement activities were consolidated at the Queensbridge site. Their work continues to this day, supporting youth, families, immigrants, and older adults of western Queens. Two other locations in Queens are also named for Riis: Jacob Riis Park in Rockaway Beach and Jacob Riis Triangle near where he lived in Richmond Hill.

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.

Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson (1919-1972) will forever be remembered and honored as the first Black player in Major League Baseball. Born in Georgia, he was raised by a single mother along with his four siblings. His early success as a student athlete led him to UCLA, where he became the first athlete to win varsity letters in four sports (baseball, football. basketball and track). After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues in 1944 and was selected by Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey as a player who could start the integration of the white major leagues. Robinson was recognized not only for his baseball talents, but because he was thought to have had the right demeanor for the challenges he would ultimately face. Robinson made his National League debut on April 15, 1947, as Brooklyn's first baseman. In spite of the abuse of the crowds and some fellow baseball players, he endured and succeeded in the sport. He won the Rookie of the Year Award that year. Two years later, he was named the National League MVP, when he led the league with a .342 batting average, 37 steals and 124 RBI. A few select players, like Dodgers’ shortstop Pee Wee Reese, were particularly supportive of Robinson in spite of the taunting and jeers and helped him excel. In Robinson’s 10 seasons with the Dodgers, the team won six pennants and ultimately captured the 1955 World Series title. Robinson’s struggles and achievements paved the way for Black players in baseball and other sports. When he retired after the 1956 season, he left the game with a .313 batting average, 972 runs scored, 1,563 hits and 200 stolen bases. After baseball, Robinson operated a chain of restaurants and coffee shops but continued to advocate for social change, serving on the board of the NAACP. He died of a heart attack in 1972. Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as its first Black player in 1962. On April 15, 1997, 50 years after his major league debut, his uniform number 42 was retired from all teams of Major League Baseball, a unique honor to this day. Ten years later in 2007, April 15 was declared to be Jackie Robinson Day. In Robinson's honor, all major league players, coaches and managers wear the number 42 on that day.