LSC mourns the passing of NJ Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, the first Black woman to serve in that role and the first woman of color elected to statewide office in New Jersey. She was a committed advocate for social and racial justice, widely known for her passionate speaking style and commitment to the people of the state, especially those from historically disadvantaged communities.

The Newark native was on the Board of Education in East Orange before entering state politics. She went on to serve New Jersey in various capacities, from freeholder to assemblywoman to Lt. Governor. Governor Phil Murphy remembers Oliver as “...a trailblazer in every sense of the word.”