Mayor's Message:

Happy 100th Birthday

Charles Booker

Sincerely,

Mayor Adrian O. Mapp

City of Plainfield

Mensaje Del Alcalde:

Feliz 100 Cumpleaños

Charles Booker

Queridx Jazz,

Hay algunas personas que hacen que el mundo sea especial simplemente por estar en él. Abrazan su caminar en la vida para trabajar por el mejoramiento de la humanidad y dejan los espacios que ocupan mejor de lo que los encontraron. Son nuestros héroes locales, y algunos de ellos todavía caminan entre nosotros. Somos bendecidos de tener a un hombre así viviendo aquí mismo en Plainfield; su nombre es Charles F. Booker, y está celebrando su centésimo (100) cumpleaños.

No podía dejar pasar esta oportunidad de destacar a un hombre que es un gigante entre los hombres. Un hombre cuya lucha ha provocado un cambio tan profundo en nuestra ciudad pero que destila humildad y calidez. Y, si tienes la suerte de sentarte a conversar con él, notarás un destello de picardía y humor en sus ojos.

Durante los años del movimiento por los derechos civiles, hubo quienes trabajaron para oprimir y quienes lucharon por liberarse de la opresión. Los que defendieron la desigualdad y los que defendieron a sus semejantes. Los que eligieron quedarse como testigos y los que eligieron luchar como defensores. Amigos y vecinos, los que simplemente miraban, nunca hicieron historia; eligieron la apatía y la aceptación del statu quo.

Es un gran privilegio dedicar este número de mi boletín a un gran hombre y querido amigo, Charles Booker.

Me complace que el trabajo de él y su esposa, Anna Booker, sea conmemorado y recordado en los pasillos de una de las instituciones que tanto lucharon por igualar. La Escuela Charles y Ana Booker se mantendrá como un recordatorio y una inspiración para jóvenes y mayores de que, a veces, si quieres que las cosas cambien, no puedes tener miedo de luchar por ello.

¡FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS CHARLES BOOKER - LEYENDA DE PLAINFIELD!

#LovePlainfield #AmoPlainfield

Creating One Plainfield. One Future.

Alcalde Adrian O. Mapp

Ciudad de Plainfield

Charles F. Booker was born on May 26, 1923. He is a native of Plainfield and was raised by his loving Aunt, Mrs. Martha Neal. Charles received his education from the Plainfield Public School system and graduated from the Plainfield High School in 1941. After graduating, Mr. Booker made the brave choice to enlist in the US Army during World War Two. He served our country for three years and was honorably discharged with the rank of Staff Sargent.

After leaving the Army, he returned to Plainfield and married Anna Jane Downing in 1949. Mrs. Anna Booker worked as a dedicated educator from 1947 until 1987 and was one of the first Black teachers in the Metuchen, NJ school system. 

During this time, Mr. Booker was working at the Veterans Administration in Newark, NJ, and began studying at Seton Hall University. While working full-time, Mr. Booker took on the challenge of earning a B.S. Degree in Accounting and an M.B.A Degree in Finance in 1955 and 1967, respectively. In 1969, Mr. Booker left the Veterans Administration to work for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (H.U.D.) as an Equal Opportunity Specialist in their Newark office for over 30 years. He also served as a Plainfield Housing Authority Commissioner for over ten (10) years, assuming the role of Chairman during a part of his term. After retiring from Federal Civil Service, Mr. Booker did not take a break. Instead, he took a position with Essex and Union Mortgage Company in Linden, NJ. After two years, he resigned and joined with two friends to form their own firm called “Meeker Management Associates,” which operated successfully for ten (10) years.

As an active member of the community, Mr. Booker has been a faithful member of Calvary Baptist Church of Plainfield, NJ, for close to 90 years. This is just one example of the many community group affiliations Mr. Booker has had for many years. Others include Former Member/Past Chairman of the Plainfield Board of Adjustment; Former Executive Board Member after serving as a life member of the Plainfield N.A.A.C.P.; Former Chairman of the Plainfield Housing Authority; Board member of the Plainfield Senior Citizen Advisory Board; member of S.E.V.E.N. + 1 Travel Club Inc.; former Executive Officer and current member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity – Omicron Chi Chapter. 

While Mr. Booker was active with the Plainfield N.A.A.C.P., the chapter initiated a landmark lawsuit after recognizing that Washington School – where most minority students attended – were not given access to quality education materials. While working as an educator, Mrs. Booker was able to attest to a difference in the educational materials that her oldest child was privy to versus the materials that were being used in select other parts of the city. This discrepancy was first noticed by the then President of the Plainfield Branch of the N.A.A.C.P., Rev. Frank Allen. The Plainfield School Board was not impressed with the complaint that was lodged by the N.A.A.C.P., so they sought the advice of a City-wide Independent Psychologist. The Wolfe Report, as it is known, provided information that confirmed the allegations made by the N.A.A.C.P. However, these findings were rejected by the Board of Education. After meeting with the Plainfield Board of Education and trying to bring about change in the city, the N.A.A.C.P. was compelled to push for change legally. 

As a result, the case went before the Supreme Court of New Jersey, which ruled in favor of Booker and the team. In the end, positive changes were made to help bring about a harmonized/universal education system in Plainfield. The method by which our Board members were granted the ability to serve on the Board was also a change resulting from the case, as they were no longer appointed and had to be elected to their positions. This landmark case, known as Booker v. the Plainfield Board of Education, was the case that gave impetus to other school districts in the state to sue their Board of Education and engage in the fight for desegregated schools and equal treatment of students.

At his side throughout Mr. Booker’s career, education, and community service is his loving and supportive wife, Anna D. Booker. In their 70 years of marriage, they raised two children – Charles B. and Beverly Ann. They are grandparents to four: Mateen Booker; Corean Shelton Reyes; Marquette Shelton; and Bryanna Shelton Gosa; and great-grandparents of four – Isaiah and Isabella Reyes and Jaxson and Kyce Gosa.

Not letting his accolades go to this head, Mr. Booker has remained a loving husband, wonderful dad, great “PopPop,” and a loyal friend to everyone (including the family pets). To his friends, he is known to be a straight talker, always joking, and willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. Those who know him are familiar with his commitment to family and friends, as well as his love for fishing, sports (Yankees, Knicks, and Giants), traveling, and fried chicken wings.

There can be nothing more fitting than to have a school in our city named after two of our strongest advocates for equal education. The Charles & Ana Booker School will be a three (3) story facility, approximately 12,000 sq ft., and will host 840 students from Kindergarten to Fifth grade. The school will include 41 classrooms, an art room, a music room, a technology lab, a science demo room, a computer lab, a gymnasium, a cafeteria, a media center, a playground, and a basketball court. Here students from all backgrounds will play, grow, and learn together – continuing the fight for the kind of world we all want to see and the kind of Plainfield the Bookers have fought for.

Local legends and longtime civil rights activists Charles and Anna Booker have shaped our city, our state, and our nation for the better. By improving schools for our children, they opened countless doors, a world of possibilities and provided a better and brighter future for us all. Their impact cannot be understated, and we are all incredibly blessed to be able to celebrate Mr. Booker on his 100^th birthday! Let’s come together to celebrate the work, life, and legacy of Charles Booker and honor that legacy by creating positive changes we all want to see in our community. Let’s not only imagine a better world for our children – let’s work for it.



Happy Birthday, Mr. Booker. From all your friends and neighbors who have so much to thank you for. 

On Wednesday, May 31^st, 2023, the City of Plainfield hosted the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Muhlenberg Ambulatory Surgery Center (MASC) at 1280 Randolph Road.

In attendance at the ceremony were Mayor Adrian O. Mapp, First Lady Amelia Mapp, City Council President Charles McRae, City Council Vice President Terri Briggs-Jones, Councilman Barry Goode, Councilman Richard Wyatt, Councilman Robert Graham, and Councilman Steve Hockaday among other city officials.

MASC will provide minimally invasive surgical care to the residents of Union County and beyond. As a 17,728 SF state-of-the-art ambulatory surgery center with 4 spacious Class C Operating Rooms, MASC will provide cost-effective and quality pain management, orthopedic, sports medicine, spine/neuro, ortho spine, podiatric, and lower-extremity vascular services. MASC is a project that was fulfilled in collaboration between the City of Plainfield and CHA. 

Wonderful things are happening at the Plainfield Performing Art Center also known as the artist playground. With truth to its name, the doors swing on the hinges of creativity. The Plainfield Performing Arts Center showcased Plainfield’s talent at LIVE AND LOUD OPEN MIC at P-PAC on Friday May 26, 2023. The evening was dedicated to mental health with each performer having their own take on the topic. The evening opened with three of our four Plainfield Ultimate Sound Academy students Julian, Najai, Stephon (missing Robert Lewis) performing their own compositions to an appreciative crowd. Jazz singer Boncellia Lewis had the audience yelling encore and Plainfield High School senior Ronelle Harrison left us speechless with his talent and creativity. Four poets, Tiana Marie, Sincerely L., Just Act, Nick E. and Josh Howard spoken words pieces were unique and authentic. Diane Pender-Moore, a community favorite and amazing photographer, sang an uplifting song of encouragement. The evening was capped with everyone standing to their feet and collectively sharing in a song of solitude and serenity. 

What an amazing day in the City of Plainfield! For the fifth year, racers gathered from across New Jersey and even from other countries to compete for the honor of being named the New Jersey State Bicycle Champion. The community came out to cheer for their favorite racer and soak up the beautiful weather. The City Hall lawns were filled with families, and there was something for everyone to enjoy. Children enjoyed the bouncy house, face painting, hamster ball, toss and catch, and other games; then, after visiting one of the food trucks, they spread out for lunch on the lawn or at one of the picnic tables. People stopped by the Love Plainfield tent to snag a giveaway and learn about the Love Plainfield initiative while the health department shared vital information. All in all, it was a great day, and a wonderful time was had by all. Catch you next year at the 2024 NJ State Bicycle Championship… start training now, and maybe we’ll see you in one of the races!

Thanks to Mayor Adrian O. Mapp, Council President Charles McRae, Council Vice President Terri Briggs-Jones, and Councilman Robert Graham, who all came out to show their support.

Once again, the City of Plainfield paid homage to our fallen heroes, those who gave everything they had to preserve our freedom and our way of life. As we gathered to commemorate another Memorial Day, our First Lady, Amelia Mapp, led us through the ceremony with passion and grace. Commander Cornell Hawkins, Jr. reminded us to include our fallen as we gather around the table by leaving a place setting for those soldiers who are no longer with us. Mayor Mapp reaffirmed the city’s commitment to having remembrance and service for the men and women who paid the ultimate price while uttering heartfelt thanks.

Assemblywoman Linda Carter brought greetings from the State Assembly, and Union County Commissioner Rebecca Williams did the same from the County. Council President Charles McRae affirmed the Council's gratitude and respect for our veterans and especially the ones no longer with us. Showing support were Council Vice President Terri Briggs-Jones, Councilmen Robert Graham, Barry Goode, Sean McKenna, and Richard Wyatt.

The Union County Board of County Commissioners would like to invite residents to kick off the summer season with Rhythm & Blues by the Brook, a full afternoon of free music and activities at Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield on Saturday, June 3, 2023 from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

This year, Rhythm & Blues by the Brook will be headlined by Chrisette Michele, an R&B and soul singer-songwriter, who throughout her career has released several albums and has been nominated for and won several awards, including a Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for her song “Be OK” in 2009. She has also collaborated with many other musicians, including Jay-Z, Nas, and The Roots.

Also sharing the stage will be Shanice, Allure, Bone Daddy & the Hoochies, Riff and DJ Bookeem will be serving as Master of Ceremonies.

The event will also feature a Health and Wellness Fair, presented by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. –Eta Omicron Zeta Chapter from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., a Child’s Play Challenge Course from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and a car show by GWiz Auto Entertainment Group. Visitors will also have the opportunity to enjoy some of their favorite summer foods and snacks at the ShopRite Fill the Grill Food Truck, which will be offering complimentary samples as well as other food and ice cream vendors.

Homeownership remains a central part of the American dream and the primary contributor to generational wealth building and housing stability for millions of families. For far too long, bias in home valuations has limited the ability of Black and brown families to enjoy the financial returns associated with homeownership, thereby contributing to the already sprawling racial wealth gap.

Two years ago today, on the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre, President Biden announced the creation of the Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE): a first-of-its-kind interagency effort to root out bias in the home appraisal process. As its first order of business, the Task Force developed and released the most wide-ranging set of actions ever announced to advance equity and root out racial and ethnic bias in home valuations – the PAVE Action Plan. Since its release in March 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration has made critical progress towards fully implementing the Action Plan, including by empowering consumers with new tools to address appraisal bias; leveraging data to identify trends and crack down on offenders of appraisal bias; and supporting a well-trained and more representative appraiser profession.

Today, on the anniversary of the creation of the PAVE Task Force and the start of National Homeownership Month, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing a set of meaningful actions to deliver on the PAVE Action Plan and ensure that every American who buys a home has the same opportunities to build generational wealth through homeownership...

Mayor Adrian O. Mapp and the City of Plainfield are committed to making it as easy as possible to report concerns in our city. To that end, we've partnered with REPORT IT, which is now live in Plainfield and ready to be used as an important supplemental reporting tool.

Report it makes community reporting easier than ever! Residents and visitors can download the app by scanning the barcode above or by going to your phone's app store. Your reports will be submitted to the appropriate City department to be resolved.

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Volume 10 - Issue 22