Newark is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 311,549, an increase of 34,409 (+12.4%) from the 2010 census count of 277,140, which in turn reflected an increase of 3,594 (+1.3%) from the 273,546 counted at the 2000 census. The Population Estimates Program calculated a population of 307,220 for 2021, making it the 66th-most populous municipality in the nation.
Baraka or Barakah may refer to:
Kenneth Allen Gibson was an American Democratic Party politician who served as the 36th mayor of Newark, New Jersey, from 1970 to 1986. He was the first African American elected mayor of any major city in the Northeastern United States.
Amiri Baraka, previously known as LeRoi Jones and Imamu Amear Baraka, was an American writer of poetry, drama, fiction, essays and music criticism. He was the author of numerous books of poetry and taught at several universities, including the University at Buffalo and Stony Brook University. He received the PEN/Beyond Margins Award in 2008 for Tales of the Out and the Gone. Baraka's plays, poetry, and essays have been described by scholars as constituting defining texts for African-American culture.
The Poet Laureate of New Jersey was an honor presented biennially by the Governor of New Jersey to a distinguished New Jersey poet. Created in 1999, this position existed for less than four years and was abolished by the legislature effective July 2, 2003. When the New Jersey State Legislature created the laureate position, the bill provided specifically for the creation of an award named in honor of twentieth-century poet and physician William Carlos Williams (1883–1963) who resided in Rutherford, New Jersey. However, the legislature recognized that the award's recipient would "be considered the poet laureate of the State of New Jersey for a period of two years." Before the position was abolished, only two poets, Gerald Stern and Amiri Baraka, had been appointed as the state's poet laureate.
Lisa Victoria Chapman Jones is an American playwright, essayist, journalist, and memoirist.
Ras Jua Baraka is an American educator, author, and politician who is the 40th and current Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. He was previously a member of the Municipal Council of Newark and the principal of the city's Central High School until he took an indefinite leave of absence to run for the 2014 Newark mayoral election, which he won on May 13, 2014. Baraka was sworn in as the city's 40th mayor at ceremonies at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on July 1, 2014, for a four-year term. He won re-election twice in 2018 and 2022.
Darnell L. Moore is an American writer and activist whose work is informed by anti-racist, feminist, queer of color, and anti-colonial thought and advocacy. Darnell's essays, social commentary, poetry, and interviews have appeared in various national and international media venues, including the Feminist Wire, Ebony magazine, The Huffington Post, The New York Times, and The Advocate.
Luis A. Quintana is an American politician who served as Councilmember-at-Large of the Municipal Council of Newark, New Jersey, first elected in 1994. He served as Mayor of Newark from November 2013 to July 2014, after which he was re-elected to his council seat.
The 2014 Newark mayoral election took place in Newark, the most populous city in New Jersey, on May 13, 2014. The race was characterized as a contest between two candidates, Ras Baraka and Shavar Jeffries, both from Newark's South Ward. Elections for all seats on the nine member Municipal Council of Newark also took place. Luis A. Quintana, who had become Mayor of Newark following the resignation of Cory Booker, did not seek the seat.
Mulberry Commons is a public park in Newark, New Jersey. It was first proposed in 2005 to be the centerpiece of 22-acre (8.9 ha) of the city's Downtown surrounded by Gateway Center, Newark Penn Station, Government Center and Prudential Center, a 19,000 seat arena which opened in 2007. The city had acquired the deed to the park land in conjunction with the construction of the arena, but the project had not been further developed.
Kellie Jones is an American art historian and curator. She is a Professor in Art History and Archaeology in African American Studies at Columbia University. She won a MacArthur Fellowship in 2016.
"Balozi" Robert Zayd Muhammad Harvey was an American diplomat, community organizer, activist and executive director, based in New Jersey and New York. Balozi worked both domestically and internationally toward the growth and betterment of African-American communities in the U.S. while fostering relationships with Caribbean and African Nations. Harvey was given the title "Balozi" in Tanzania by President Julius K. "Mwalimu" Nyerere in 1964. "Balozi" means "ambassador" or "statesman" in Swahili.
The 2018 election for Mayor of Newark took place in Newark, the most populous city in New Jersey, USA, on May 8, 2018. Elections for all seats on the nine member Municipal Council of Newark was held the same day. A runoff election, if necessary, would have taken place on June 5, 2018. Elections are non-partisan and candidates are not listed by political party. Incumbent Mayor Ras Baraka avoided a runoff after winning a second term with 77 percent of the votes.
Afro Beat Fest is an annual family-oriented festival in Newark, New Jersey celebrating African culture and communities including music, art, fashion, dance, crafts and cuisine.
Amina Baraka is an American poet, actress, author, community organizer, singer, dancer, and activist. Her poetic themes are about social justice, family, and women. Her poetry has been featured in anthologies including Unsettling America (1994). She was active in the 1960s Black Arts Movement, as an artist.
The Newark, New Jersey water crisis began in 2016 when elevated lead levels were observed in multiple Newark Public Schools district schools throughout the city.
Mildred C. Crump was a councilperson on the Municipal Council of Newark from 1994-1998 and again from 2006-2021, and is the first Black woman to serve on the city's governing body. She was the first African American Braille teacher in New Jersey. InsiderNJ called her "legendary". Former Mayor Luis A. Quintana said of her “I see her as someone who was a pioneer as an African-American female".
The 2022 Newark mayoral election was held on May 10, 2022, to elect the Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. Elections for all seats on the nine member Municipal Council of Newark were held on the same day. Elections were non-partisan and candidates were not listed by political party. Incumbent Mayor Ras Baraka ran for re-election and easily won a third term.
Lionsgate Newark Studios is a 350,000 square foot film and television production studio under construction in Newark, New Jersey. It is located in Dayton in the South Ward on 15 acres (6.1 ha) of land overlooking Weequahic Golf Course west of Newark Liberty International Airport.
