Helen M.

Marshall, the first African American

Borough President of Queens
Helen M. Marshall, a Democrat from New York, became the first African-
American woman to serve as Queens Borough President. As the second
woman to hold this post, she was forced to fight not only for a better quality
of life in society but also to overcome gender stereotypes. Marshall is best
known for her contributions to public libraries and her efforts to preserve
Queens' cultural heritage. Learn more about the politician at
queensyes.com.

Early years
Helen M. Marshall was born on September 30, 1929, in the Bronx to
immigrants of African descent. After receiving her teacher training at
Queens College, Marshall worked as a teacher for 8 years.

In 1969, she left teaching to become director of the Queens Langston

Hughes Community Library. The institution is named after Langston
Hughes, an African-American poet and writer. He was one of the
innovators of the literary genre known as jazz poetry. The library is thought
to have the largest publicly available black heritage collection in New York
State.

In her spare time, Marshall established herself as a social activist,

advocating for professional training programs and economic development
in her community.

Beginning of a political career

In 1974, Marshall started her political career. Then, she became the
Democratic District Leader in New York City. A year later, the politician
joined the Democratic National Committee, the primary committee of the
Democratic Party of the United States. It holds National Party conventions
every four years to nominate candidates for President and Vice President
of the United States.
By the way, the Democratic Party is one of the two main political forces in
the United States. Together with the Republican Party, they form a two-
party system. The Democratic Party existed before the Republican Party
and is one of the world's oldest political parties. It emerged during the
American War of Independence from Great Britain. The Republican Party
was created in 1854 by activists who called for the abolition of slavery.

Democrats favor national social security, they are liberals who promote
equality and collective responsibility. Republicans, on the other hand,
advocate for limited government intervention in national politics. They
support the army, business, and religion, and have more conservative
views on most issues.

From 1983 until 1991, Marshall served as the 35th District representative in
the New York State Assembly. This is the lower house of the New York
State Legislature as well as the upper house of the New York State Senate.
Members of the Assembly are chosen for a two-year term without
limitations.

From 1992 to 2001, the politician represented the 21st district on the New
York City Council. During this time, she served as chairman of the
Committee on Higher Education, advocated for black and Latino rights, and
sat on the Housing, Construction and Community Development,
Environmental, and Women's Committees.

President of the ethnically diverse borough

In 2001, Marshall was elected the 18th Borough President of Queens. She
succeeded Claire Shulman, the first woman elected to the position.
Shulman headed the borough for 16 years. During this time, she rose to
prominence as a strong defender of society's best interests. The pioneer
provided funds for the establishment of Queens Hospital Center and
30,000 educational institutions. Shulman successfully handled issues with
economic development, environmental issues, and airport disputes. She
provided all required services to the population while advocating for racial
and gender equality.
Helen Marshall served as Queens Borough President from 2002 to 2014.
During this time, she made the borough a tourist destination. In addition,
her policy focuses included health, education, housing, and parks.

In just a decade, Ms. Marshall spent more money on Queens library

initiatives than the presidents of the other four boroughs combined. She
also founded the Queens General Assembly, which promoted cross-
cultural exchanges between ethnic groups. Queens is the most ethnically
diverse region of the United States. People who call Queens their home
represent cultures from almost all over the world. They speak more than
130 languages and come from over 120 different countries. Queens'
neighborhoods reflect their citizens' origins through a wide range of cultural
and artistic activities, cuisine, and more.

Throughout her political career, Marshall advocated for quality medical

care, improving the living conditions of the elderly, and environmental
protection. She helped open two new senior facilities in her district.

Marshall, by the way, was a former neighbor and huge admirer of the "king
of jazz", trumpeter and vocalist Louis Armstrong. She played a part in
transforming the musician's house in the Corona neighborhood into a
museum.

The president died in 2017 at the age of 87 in her California residence. She
made a legacy of herself as an innovator who dedicated her life to public
service. The woman began her career as a teacher and public activist and
eventually became an influential official.