New Jersey Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, a Democratic stalwart in the state's politics for decades, has died at the age of 71.
New Jersey Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver died Tuesday, one day after she was rushed to the hospital for an undisclosed medical issue.
"It is with incredible sadness and a heavy heart that we announce the passing of the Honorable Sheila Y. Oliver, Lieutenant Governor of the State of New Jersey," the Oliver family said in a statement. "She was not only a distinguished public servant but also our cherished daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and hero."
Oliver was 71 years old.
She had been serving as acting governor with Gov. Phil Murphy on vacation. The Democratic Senate President, Nicholas Scutari, took over as acting governor when Oliver was rushed to the hospital Monday.
Murphy remembered Oliver as a "trailblazer" in announcing her death.
"When I selected her to be my running mate in 2017, Lieutenant Governor Oliver was already a trailblazer in every sense of the word," Murphy said in a statement. "She had already made history as the first Black woman to serve as Speaker of the General Assembly, and just the second Black woman in the nation’s history to lead a house of a state legislature. I knew then that her decades of public service made her the ideal partner for me to lead the State of New Jersey. It was the best decision I ever made."
Former New Jersey governor and 2024 presidential candidate Chris Christie tweeted, "It is a sad day for NJ and for me personally."
"I will miss Sheila. She served as Speaker in my first term and we treated each other with kindness and respect," Christie said. "She was a great person and partner."
It's notable in today's age of blisteringly partisan politics that a Republican 2024 candidate like Christie would have anything nice to say about any Democrat in America at all. Again, meeting the absolute minimum standards for human decorum, I guess.
Born and raised in Newark, Oliver graduated from the city’s Weequahic High School before earning a sociology degree from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and a masters in planning and administration from Columbia University. She was an East Orange resident.
She later worked for a nonprofit social services organization and taught at Essex County College and nearby Caldwell University.
Oliver moved into politics when she was elected to the East Orange Board of Education, an office she held from 1994 to 2000. During that time, she served two years as vice president and ended her time as president of the board.
She concurrently served as an Essex County freeholder from 1996-99. And in between, she lost a bid for East Orange mayor by a mere 51 votes.
A few years later, Oliver moved up to Trenton. She was elected to the Assembly in 2003 and was chosen by her fellow Democrats to become the chamber’s 169th speaker in 2009.
Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter, D-Passaic and chairwoman of the New Jersey Legislature Black Caucus, described Oliver as a beloved mentor and an inspiration.
“As a freshman entering the New Jersey General Assembly, I was fortunate to work alongside Lt. Governor Oliver. Having the privilege of witnessing her lead as Speaker of the Assembly had a powerful impact on me,” Sumter said. “Representation matters, and I was honored to have Lt. Gov. Oliver be my mentor and educate me on the history of the politics in the state of New Jersey and how to navigate through the Legislature.”
“Lt. Governor Oliver’s influence transcended generations and she paved the way for Black and Brown women to pursue higher office. She taught us the importance of being informed, skilled, and graceful,” Sumter said.
Oliver was the second woman after Marion West Higgins in 1965 and the second Black lawmaker, after S. Howard Woodson in 1974, to ascend to the powerful position. She was also the second Black woman in American history to lead a state legislative chamber, after Karen Bass of California.
That it took until 2009 to have just the second Black woman Speaker in a state legislature is ridiculous, but Oliver met that challenge -- and Chris Christie -- head on.
Here's to the fighters. Black Lives Still Matter.
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