Leonard Jeffries was born and raised in
Newark, New Jersey, educated in Newark Public Schools,
graduated from Sussex Avenue School in 1951, after completing
Roseville Avenue School which he attended up to the 6
th grade.
He was born on January 19, 1937 at the
Women and Children's Hospital on Central Avenue and 10
th
Street.
They say, "It takes a whole village to
raise a child." And Newark provided that experience. Newark
was made up of many African villages or sections of our city.
His special village was the 14
th
Street neighborhood in the
Roseville Section. All of the families took care of one
another.
He lived on 14
th
Street across from the Spelmans
(the late Rev. Dr. Harry Spelman, his son and Dr. Robert
Spelman), The Fosters (the late Dr. Albert Foster), the
Olivers, the Chrenshaws, and many others. His mother's family
lived on 13
th Street and his
father's family lived on 12
th
Street.
Most of the families and youth went to
the church down the block—Mount Sinai Baptist Church. All
children developed a sense of self-worth and race pride. As a
teenager, Lenny sensed he was on a mission. He was interested
in the formation of our young men and women. His formal
education came from the Newark Public School system were he
became President of his graduation class at Sussex Avenue
School, January 1951. His later schooling was at McKinley Jr.
High School and Barringer High School where he graduated with
honors.
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