The Center for Politics and Race in America at Rutgers University-Newark has been named in honor of the first Black woman in New Jersey to hold statewide office, Lt. Gov. Sheila Y. Oliver, who died while in office Aug. 1, 2023.
"Lt. Gov. Oliver's legacy will continue to inspire our center as we expand access to public service as a profession and promote research and public policy that confronts systemic inequalities,” said Dr. James Jones, a sociology and Africana Studies professor at Rutgers-Newark and co-director of the Sheila Y. Oliver Center for Politics and Race in America with Dr. Jacqueline Mattis, the university’s dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.
Sheila Y. Oliver
The center was established in 2023 with state funding as a "fact tank" for research on the nation's political life and a resource for underrepresented students seeking careers in government and public service. It also serves as a resource that disseminates high-quality data and faculty scholarship on race and politics at the national and state level and a place for cutting-edge training in political research methods and data analysis.
Oliver, a Newark native, served as Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs, leading state efforts to strengthen and expand initiatives for fair and affordable housing, community revitalization, homelessness prevention, and local government services that support New Jersey's 564 municipalities. In 2010, the Newark native became the first African American woman to serve as Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly and only the second in our nation's history to lead a state legislative house.
The New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson announced a donation to fund the Lt. Gov. Sheila Y. Oliver Leadership Scholarship as part of the center's Public Service Leadership Program at Rutgers School of Arts & Sciences–Newark. The scholarship will provide stipends for four Rutgers-Newark students to participate in public service internships over the next five years.
"Johnson & Johnson is proud to honor Lt. Gov. Oliver's legacy of public service through the scholarship in her name to cultivate the next generation 'Sheila Olivers' — well-rounded, passionate and driven public servants who represent the very best of New Jersey and the state's rich diversity and culture," said Vanessa Broadhurst, Johnson & Johnson's executive vice president of global corporate affairs.
Gov. Phil Murphy, too, lauded Oliver’s legacy.
"My dear friend and partner in government, the late, great Lt. Gov. Sheila Y. Oliver was a trailblazer whose legacy lives on in many ways,” said Murphy. "Sheila's work in New Jersey, especially in her community, has left a lasting impact on many folks who hold careers in public service. She was a mentor and role model to many, and this new honor will ensure that the legacy of her work lives on and continues to inspire young people seeking to make positive change in our state, nation's capital, and beyond."
