STORY & PHOTOS BY THOMAS ELLIS II
What a wonderful going home service for a great woman, Mildred C. Crump. Her funeral was held December 14th at Metropolitan Baptist Church on Springfield Avenue in Newark.
I noticed several former and present female Newark municipal councilmembers in attendance; Bessie Walker, Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins, Dana Rone, Mamie Bridgeforth, Louise Scott-Rountree, and now-Congresswoman LaMonica McIver.
Also attending the funeral was Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Governor Phil Murphy, East Orange Mayor Ted Green, and former Irvington Mayor Wayne Smith, as well as other dignitaries and clergy members, not to mention the hundreds that came out from the Newark community to say “Farewell, Mama Crump.”
Pastor Jefferson of Metropolitan opened up the service saying, “We’re not having a funeral, but a celebration of the life of Mildred Crump so let’s celebrate.
Governor Phil Murphy was one of the speakers. He spoke very highly of the former Newark Council President, as a politician, community leader, and trailblazer for women throughout New Jersey, and not just Newark.
The Governor also stated that he will have flags in the State of New Jersey fly at half-staff for several days in honor of Mildred C. Crump. He received a loud applause for the gesture.
The musical selection included “Hold to his Hands, God’s Unchanging Hands” which was upbeat and perfect for the moment.
All of the speakers spoke about how she will be missed, what a wonderful person she was with such a loving spirit, and those fancy hats that she wore, and how she loved her hats.
But the best of all the speakers were her two grandchildren, Marguerite and Cecil. They both talked about their love for love Grammy, as they called her, and how they are going to miss her dearly.
Her son, Larry Crump, was mentioned several times during the service for the wonderful job he did taking care of his mother during the past year, up to her last days on earth, and that Mildred would be very pleased with the man he had become.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka talked about how he’s going to miss her coming into his office unannounced many times, bringing others with her to discuss matters of the City.
Newly elected Congresswoman LaMonica McIver said she loved Mildred, and thanked her for all the advice, leadership, and the love Mama Crump showed her. She mentioned that she would not be a Congresswoman if it were not for Mildred C. Crump, and how Mildred paved the way for other African American councilwomen in the City of Newark.
Mildred Crump, you touched the lives of many people. The number is too many to count. You shaped lives, changed lives, and left an awesome legacy in the City of Newark for all to follow.
In the Council President Emeritus Mildred C. Crump’s famous words: “The Blood Still Works.”
