Winifred Latimer Norman

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Winifred Latimer Norman
An African-American woman with a short natural hairdo and round glasses.
Winifred Latimer Norman, from a 1971 newspaper.
BornOctober 7, 1914
Flushing, New York
DiedFebruary 4, 2014
Manhattan, New York
Occupation(s)Social worker, historical preservationist, author

Winifred Latimer Norman (October 7, 1914 – February 4, 2014) was an American social worker, active in efforts to preserve her grandfather Lewis Howard Latimer's legacy in Flushing, Queens.

Early life[edit]

Winifred Latimer Norman was born in Flushing, the daughter of Gerald Fitzherbert Norman and Jeanette Latimer Norman. Her father was a teacher. Her grandfather was inventor and poet Lewis Howard Latimer.[1][2] Her great-grandfather George Latimer escaped slavery in Virginia and was active in the abolition movement in Massachusetts.[3] She graduated from Flushing High School, and from Hunter College, where she was one of only 15 black graduates in 1935.[4] She earned a master's degree at New York University.[5]

Career[edit]

Norman was a social worker by profession, and lived in New York City. She represented the Latimer family at various events and commemorations throughout her life.[6] She and her brother Gerald[7] helped to lead the effort to preserve the Lewis H. Latimer House in Flushing;[8][9] their grandfather's home, where they played as children,[10] is now a museum on the National Register of Historic Places.[11] She and her brother were honored by the Duquesne Light Company in 1989, for their work in bringing Latimer's story to a new generation.[12] She co-wrote a middle-grades book about her grandfather,[13] Lewis Latimer: Scientist (1994, with Lily Patterson, foreword by Coretta Scott King).[14][15]

Norman was active in religious organizations, and served on the board of trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association.[16] She was a member of the International Association for Religious Freedom and the International Association for Liberal Religious Women.[17] The Fourth Universalist Society in the City of New York, where she was a member, created a Winifred Latimer Norman Award in the Area of Social Justice in her honor.[18]

Norman was a charter member of the North Manhattan chapter of Delta Sigma Theta.[19][20]

Personal life[edit]

Norman died in 2014, aged 99 years, in New York City.[5] Her papers are included in the Latimer Family Papers at the Queens Public Library.[21][22]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Fried, Joseph P. (1988-08-06). "A Campaign to Remember an Inventor". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
  2. ^ French, Kimberly (2006-10-30). "Lewis Latimer, African American inventor and Unitarian". UU World Magazine. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
  3. ^ George, Luvenia (1999-02-01). "Innovative Lives: Lewis Latimer (1848-1928): Renaissance Man". Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
  4. ^ "15 Colored Get Degrees at Annual Commencement of Hunter College, Wed". The New York Age. 1935-06-29. p. 3. Retrieved 2020-09-07 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b "Latimer descendant dies". Queens Chronicle. February 13, 2014. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
  6. ^ "Con Ed Exhibit Honors Black Inventor Latimer". Daily News. 1971-11-14. p. 257. Retrieved 2020-09-07 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Gerald L. Norman, 78, Administrative Judge". The New York Times. 1990-08-31. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
  8. ^ Queens Economic Development Corporation. "Lewis Latimer House and Its Historic Ride through Flushing". It’s In Queens. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
  9. ^ Terrazzano, Lauren (1994-09-28). "Dream Comes Nearer". Daily News. p. 637. Retrieved 2020-09-07 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Bertrand, Donald (1998-03-31). "Home Shines in Flushing". Daily News. p. 563. Retrieved 2020-09-07 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Sperling, Jonathan (November 19, 2019). "Deck the halls in Flushing this holiday season". Queens Daily Eagle. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
  12. ^ "Brother-sister honor". The Pittsburgh Press. 1989-02-16. p. 2. Retrieved 2020-09-07 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Wood, George Jr. (October 6, 1993). "Dr. Winifred Latimer Norman To Honor Her Grandfather". New York Voice. p. 15 – via ProQuest.
  14. ^ Norman, Winifred Latimer. (1994). Lewis Latimer. Patterson, Lily. New York: Chelsea House. ISBN 0-7910-1977-2. OCLC 27897571.
  15. ^ "Norman, Winifred Latimer". Black Children's Books and Authors. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
  16. ^ "Unitarian Church Group Elects Blacks to Posts". Jet: 56. June 21, 1973.
  17. ^ "Trustee to Talk on King". Hartford Courant. 1987-01-10. p. 36. Retrieved 2020-09-07 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "A Tribute to the Rev. Joseph Ben-David" The Church of Humanism (May 3, 1997).
  19. ^ "NMAC HISTORY | North Manhattan Alumnae". NMAC: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
  20. ^ Passe-Rodriguez, Djenny (March 2, 2009). "Delta Sigma Theta hosts week of events at Columbia, Barnard". New York Amsterdam News. p. 31 – via ProQuest.
  21. ^ Hwang, Karen Li-Lun (2015-03-06). "Lewis H. Latimer: Inventor and Early Advocate for Civil Rights". Researching NYC: Past and Present. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
  22. ^ "The Latimer Family Papers". Queens Public Library Digital. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
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