Hopkins Way (Queens)
Present name:None
Location:Northwest corner of Pineville Lane and Merrick Boulevard
Honoree: Novell Hopkins (1934-2008) came to New York in 1953 to marry her high school sweetheart on his return from the Korean War. She helped him raise their three children while attending night school to earn her Bachelor's in Sociology at Hunter College. She later joined FDNY where she became Deputy Director of Civilian Personnel, helping the Department to recruit and promote fellow women and minorities. During the 1968 teachers strike, she was pivotal in keeping Junior High School 231 open by getting parents to work with teachers and remain in the building overnight so it would not be closed. This led to classes that were conducted by largely African-American teachers who encouraged the students to attend school despite the strike. She was the Founder and Vice President of Neighborhood Block Association for Springfield Gardens where she worked to bar heavy commercial vehicles from using residential streets and also arranged for the planting of street trees. In 1987 she recieved a Public Service Achievement award from Women in Government, and in 1988 received the Excellence in Service Award from the NYFD. (Miller)
LL:2019/24