At the African American Historical Society of Rockland County, we believe that history is most complete when it includes the voices and contributions of all who shaped it. Too often, the remarkable legacies of Black women are overlooked, forgotten, or dismissed in our retelling of history. This series seeks to change that narrative by highlighting local women of the African Diaspora who have made a lasting impact on our community and beyond.
Throughout March, we focus on celebrating the achievements of these trailblazers from our own backyard, lifting up their stories, and ensuring they receive the recognition they deserve. While our primary focus is on the women of Rockland County, we may occasionally extend our tribute to those whose work has resonated on the state and national levels, enriching the broader tapestry of Black history.
By honoring these women, we reaffirm our commitment to preserving the legacies of those who have fought for justice, equality, and social change, and we invite you to reflect on their powerful impact in shaping our past, present, and future.
Women’s History Month posts 2025
Contributed by Dr. Arlene Clinkscale and Barbara Williams
Honoring bernice glass: a lifetime of service and change
Born on April 21, 1923, in Halifax, Virginia, Bernice Glass moved to Nyack, New York, with her family when she was just two years old. As the granddaughter of people who had been enslaved, Bernice grew up surrounded by stories of resilience and struggle shared by her parents and grandparents. Those early lessons shaped her unwavering belief that future generations deserved dignity, justice, and opportunity.
Bernice’s passion for civil rights and community empowerment grew even stronger as she witnessed the challenges faced by African Americans who moved north during the Great Migration. When Black families began settling in Nyack and throughout Rockland County between the late 1950s and 1980s, Bernice recognized familiar patterns of inequality—and she refused to stand by. Her response launched a lifetime of action as a fierce social, political, and civil rights advocate.
Over the decades, Bernice broke barriers and blazed trails:
- She **founded the Racial Equality Movement in Rockland County** in the 1950s, long before the national civil rights movement captured headlines.
- In 1960, she became **the first Black Police Matron in Nyack**, appointed by the town’s mayor.
- By 1972, she made history again as the first Black Court Officer Assistant in the Rockland County Clerk’s Office.
- She served as Legislative Representative on the Board of Directors for the Rockland Community Action Council from 1976 to 1982.
- She worked with the Village of Nyack as a Public Relations and Client Advisor for their Housing and Rehabilitation Program.
- She represented Nyack on the County’s Housing Task Force, appointed by Mayor Alexander Caglione.
- Bernice founded Camp Nyack, the first local summer camp for children in the area.
- Known as the “unofficial mayor of Central Nyack,” she served as District Leader for the community.
- She also established the O’Grady-Brown Memorial Scholarship Fundto honor Sergeant Edward J. O’Grady and Officer Waverly L. Brown, supporting students pursuing careers in public service and law enforcement.
- Beyond her community work, she was an active Democratic Committee woman for New York’s 20th Congressional District.
Bernice Glass passed away peacefully in September 1998 at her home in Central Nyack. Her life and work were honored in the Congressional Record by Congressman Ben Gilman—a testament to the profound impact she had on Rockland County and beyond.
In 2009, Bernice was posthumously inducted into the Rockland County Human Rights Hall of Fame, a fitting tribute to a woman whose life was dedicated to building a more just and compassionate world.
Bernice Glass’s legacy of strength, leadership, and heart continues to light the way for future generations.
Honoring Dr. Susan E. Gitt Gordon: Champion for Children’s Health and Social Justice
Born on March 6, 1924, Susan E. Gitt Gordon was the daughter of Elizabeth Morel and Josiah W. Gitt of York, Pennsylvania. From an early age, she showed a commitment to service and learning that would guide her life’s work.
Susan married Dr. Edmund W. Gordon, and together they raised four children: Edmund Taylor Gordon, Christopher Wyatt Gordon, Jessica Gitt Gordon, and Johanna Susan Gordon. Her passion for children’s well-being shaped both her career and her activism.
Dr. Gordon earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Forty years later, her alma mater honored her with an honorary Doctor of Science degree. She studied medicine at the Women’s Medical College of Philadelphia and completed her Doctor of Medicine degree at Howard University College of Medicine. Certified as a specialist in pediatrics, she was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Dr. Gordon distinguished herself in the fields of childhood infectious diseases and developmental disabilities. She was beloved by her students, who often recognized her for her excellence in teaching. Yet despite her success in medicine, Dr. Gordon felt called to address deeper societal challenges. She dedicated much of her life to advancing social justice and improving community health outcomes.
Her leadership extended across many organizations:
- Served nine years on the East Ramapo Central School Board, including three years as President
- Served on the National Panel on the Measurement of Head Start Program Effects (1978–1981)
- Served over twenty years on the board of the Lexington School for the Deaf, where the Health Center was later named in her honor
- Member of the Board of Trustees at Nyack Hospital
- Longstanding board member of the Martin Luther King Multi-Purpose Center of Spring Valley
Dr. Gordon’s commitment to global service was equally impressive. She worked with the World Health Organization to support children with physical and mental disabilities, focusing much of her work in Ghana, where she became a beloved figure at the University of Ghana at Legon and the University of Cape Coast. In the late 1970s and 1980s, she also helped organize health clinics and education programs in Nicaragua and Belize.
Affectionately known as “Dr. Sue,” she was an active member of numerous organizations, including:
- SANE Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy (co-chair)
- Genes and Gender Collective
- Physicians for Social Responsibility
- American Association of University Women
- NAACP
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
Throughout her journey, Dr. Gordon was honored with many awards, including:
- Woman of Achievement Award, American Association of University Women
- Positive Image Award, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
- Martin Luther King Humanitarian Award
- Induction into the Rockland County Civil Rights Hall of Fame (2006, along with Dr. Edmund Gordon)
Dr. Susan E. Gitt Gordon passed away on January 25, 2016, leaving behind a legacy of compassion, advocacy, and groundbreaking service. Her life reminds us that healing communities requires both medicine and justice—and she pursued both with unmatched dedication.
Celebrating Dr. Margaret Morgan Lawrence: A Pioneer in Medicine and Mental Health
Born on August 19, 1914, Margaret Morgan Lawrence was the daughter of Rev. Sandy Alonza Morgan, an Episcopal minister, and Mary Elizabeth Smith Morgan, a teacher. From a young age, Margaret was driven by a deep sense of purpose. She dreamed of becoming a doctor, motivated by a belief that if she had the opportunity, she could help save lives—like the brother she never had the chance to meet.
She married Charles Radford Lawrence II and raised three children: Dr. Sara Lawrence Lightfoot, Charles Radford Lawrence III, and Paula Lawrence Wehmiller. Throughout her life, family and service were central to her journey.
In Rockland County, Dr. Lawrence helped found Skyview Acres, the area’s first diverse cooperative community. Her path to medicine, however, was far from easy. After being denied admission to Cornell Medical School because of her race, she applied to Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Columbia accepted her—on the condition that she would not protest if white parents refused her services. Despite facing discrimination, including being mistaken for the cleaning lady, Margaret Morgan Lawrence persevered.
Her groundbreaking accomplishments include:
- First African American woman to become a psychoanalyst in the United States
- First African American woman physician certified by the American Board of Pediatrics
- Chief of the Developmental Psychiatry Service for Infants and Children at Harlem Hospital for twenty-one years
- Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
- First practicing child psychiatrist in Rockland County
- Co-founder of the Rockland County Center for Mental Health in 1975
- Honored with a building named after her at the Yeager Health Center in Pomona, New York
- Inducted into the Rockland County Hall of Fame in 2007
- Named a Woman Pioneer in Medicine by the CEJJES Institute
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Lawrence was a respected author. Her publications include The Mental Health Team in Schools (1971) and Young Inner City Families (1975).
Her daughter, Dr. Sara Lawrence Lightfoot, beautifully captured her mother’s remarkable story in the biography Balm in Gilead: Journey of a Healer (1988).
Dr. Margaret Morgan Lawrence passed away on December 4, 2019, leaving behind a legacy defined by resilience, compassion, and trailblazing leadership. Her life continues to inspire all who believe in breaking barriers and building a more just world.
CELEBRATING LOTTIE SWAN-CRAWFORD: A CHAMPION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUITY
Born on December 9, 1922, in Sparkill, NY, Lottie Kane Swan Crawford was raised in the Piermont-Sparkill area by her parents, Jessie and Pat Kane. Her early education at Sparkill Elementary, Tappan Zee High School, and Rockland Community College laid the foundation for a lifelong dedication to justice and community service.
Lottie’s career was marked by a fierce commitment to improving the lives of underserved communities. In 1973, she joined ROCAC (Rockland County Action Corps), the local Community Action Program, where she implemented the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA). This program aimed to provide job training and employment opportunities for people who were unemployed or underemployed.
Driven by a mission to eliminate barriers and combat discrimination, Lottie developed countless high-paying jobs for underserved residents of Rockland County. Her efforts were pivotal in breaking down barriers to employment and advocating for minority hiring practices, especially with major companies such as IBM in Sterling Forest, NY. Known as an unofficial recruiter for qualified minority applicants, she challenged unfair hiring policies and helped reshape local workforce practices.
Lottie later worked at Stony Brook University Hospital in New York as Director of Affirmative Action. Here, she continued her advocacy for inclusion and systemic change, ensuring that diverse voices and experiences were recognized and respected in the workplace.
In 1981, Lottie made history when she was appointed Rockland County Commissioner of Human Rights by County Executive John Grant, becoming the first African American woman to hold this role. Her leadership led to significant milestones, including the creation of affordable housing initiatives and the passage of Rockland County’s first fair housing law in 1983.
Lottie’s dedication to equity and justice empowered marginalized communities throughout Rockland County. She worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life for residents, using her voice to challenge injustice whenever and wherever she saw it.
In March 2023, Lottie was honored at the County Human Rights Hall of Fame’s celebration of Women’s History Month. She continued to speak out against injustice, investigating biased complaints and advocating for change until the end of her remarkable career.
Lottie Swan-Crawford’s legacy embodies the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her work has inspired generations to fight for a world free of bias and discrimination, and her impact continues to resonate today.
