The New Jersey Hall of Fame is an organization that honors individuals from the U.S. state of New Jersey who have made contributions to society and the world beyond.
The Hall of Fame is a designated 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, overseen by a board of trustees. It was statutorily authorized through Public Law 2005, Chapter 232. This bi-partisan legislation was passed unanimously in the New Jersey Senate on May 13, 2005,"Metro Briefing |New Jersey: Trenton: Lawmakers Push Hall Of Fame", The New York Times, May 13, 2005. Accessed December 29, 2007. passed in the Assembly on June 30, 2005, and signed into law by the governor on September 22, 2005.New Jersey Hall of Fame Fact Sheet. NJHoF website. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
In June 2013 it introduced a "mobile museum" designed by Michael Graves and Ralph Applebaum which toured the state for more than 300,000 people over three years.N.J. Hall of Fame inducts 16, unveils $500K mobile museum. NJ.com (2013-06-24). Retrieved on 2013-10-23.Newest NJ Hall of Fame members announced and new mobile museum launched. NorthJersey.com (2013-06-25). Retrieved on 2013-10-23. In 2017, it opened a satellite exhibition of five holograms, posters and a ″Wall of Fame″ at Newark Airport. In September 2018 it was announced that the Hall of Fame would move to a permanent home at American Dream Meadowlands.
Format The New Jersey Hall of Fame selects potential nominees in five categories: General, Enterprise, Sports, Arts & Entertainment, and Historical. With only rare exceptions, nominees must have resided in New Jersey for a period of at least five years. Selection of inductees is done using a three-phase process. Phase I is conducted by a group of expert panelists selected by the New Jersey Hall of Fame Board, who compose a list of 20 individuals in each category. Phase II incorporates a group of over 100 prominent organization throughout New Jersey who narrow the field down to 6 individuals in each category. Phase III uses a public voting system via the internet and manual ballots. Upon completion of Phase III, the New Jersey Hall of Fame Board selects its inductees based on the top vote-getter in each category, as well as others the board deems deserving.
Induction ceremony The first class of inductees was honored in an induction ceremony at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on May 4, 2008.New Jersey Hall of Fame welcomes first-ever class, The Star-Ledger, May 4, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
2008–2010 inductees 2008 inductees The inaugural class of inductees for the New Jersey Hall of Fame were announced in a press conference on October 25, 2007, by Governor Jon Corzine.Frank, Bruce and Buzz among first inducted into NJ hall of fame, The Star-Ledger, October 25, 2007. Retrieved May 3, 2010. Historical Enterprise Arts & Entertainment Sports General Clara Barton Thomas Edison Albert Einstein Buzz Aldrin Malcolm Forbes Robert Wood Johnson II Frank Sinatra Bruce Springsteen Yogi Berra Bill Bradley Vince Lombardi Toni Morrison Norman Schwarzkopf Harriet Tubman
2009 inductees The 2009 class of inductees for the New Jersey Hall of Fame were announced on February 2, 2009.Bon Jovi, Shaq, Abbott and Costello make N.J. Hall of Fame, The Star-Ledger, February 2, 2009. Retrieved May 3, 2010. The induction ceremony was held May 3, 2009, at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.2009 New Jersey Hall of Fame inductees welcomed at NJPAC. The Star-Ledger, May 3, 2009. Retrieved May 3, 2010. Historical Enterprise Arts & Entertainment Sports General Paul Robeson Walt Whitman Guglielmo Marconi Carl Sagan Bud Abbott & Lou Costello Jon Bon Jovi Jerry Lewis Althea Gibson Shaquille O'Neal Phil Rizzuto F. Scott Fitzgerald William Carlos Williams
2010 inductees The 2010 class of inductees for the New Jersey Hall of Fame were announced on December 3, 2009.Count Basie, Jack Nicholson, Les Paul make New Jersey Hall of Fame, The Star-Ledger, December 3, 2009. Retrieved May 3, 2010. The induction ceremony was held May 2, 2010, at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark.Jack Nicholson, Susan Sarandon are among 15 inducted into N.J. Hall of Fame, The Star-Ledger, May 2, 2010. Retrieved May 3, 2010. Historical Enterprise Arts & Entertainment Sports General Alice Paul Les Paul Woodrow Wilson Michael Graves Wally Schirra Count Basie Danny DeVito Jack Nicholson Susan Sarandon Frankie Valli Larry Doby Carl Lewis Judy Blume William Brennan Philip Roth
2011–2020 inductees 2011 Inductees For list of inductees, see footnote Historical Enterprise Arts & Entertainment Sports General John Basilone Leon Hess Tony Bennett Queen Latifah John "Bucky" Pizzarelli John Travolta Bruce Willis Franco Harris Joe Theismann Brendan Byrne Mary Higgins Clark William "Bull" Halsey The 9/11 Victims were also given a special induction.
2012 inductees For a list of inductees, see footnote Ten members of the Class of 2012 were inducted on Saturday, June 9, 2012, during a ceremony at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center: Milt Campbell (Olympian), John Dorrance (condensed-soup inventor), Michael Douglas (actor), Bob Hurley (basketball coach), Wellington Mara (New York Giants owner), Samuel I. Newhouse (media mogul), Annie Oakley (Wild West Show sensation), Joyce Carol Oates (author), Christopher Reeve (late actor-activist), and Sarah Vaughan (jazz singer).
The eleventh member of the Class of 2012 – the E Street Band – will be inducted at a future date. The Unsung Hero Award was given to Eric LeGrand, the paralyzed former Rutgers University defensive tackle.
Historical Enterprise Entertainment Sports General Unsung Hero Samuel Newhouse Annie Oakley John Dorrance E Street Band Michael Douglas Christopher Reeve Sarah Vaughan Milt Campbell Bob Hurley Wellington Mara Joyce Carol Oates Eric LeGrand
2013 inductees For a list of inductees, see footnote Historical Enterprise Entertainment Sports General Unsung Hero Grover Cleveland Thomas Paine Bobbi Brown Raymond G. Chambers David Sarnoff Alice Guy-Blaché Celia Cruz Whitney Houston J. Seward Johnson Joe Piscopo Dionne Warwick Joetta Clark Diggs "Jersey Joe" Walcott Tom Kean Kathleen DiChiara
2014 inductees For a list of inductees, see footnote Arts & Letters Enterprise Performance Arts Public Service Sports Unsung Hero Dorothy Parker Brian Williams Howard Katz Alice Waters Dizzy Gillespie James Gandolfini The Shirelles James Florio Peter J. McGuire Elizabeth Cady Stanton Patrick Ewing Maud Dahme
2015 inductees For a list of inductees, see footnote Arts & Letters Enterprise Performing Arts Public Service Sports Unsung Hero James Fenimore Cooper Anna Quindlen William Fox Lewis Katz Bernard Marcus Kool & the Gang Jon Stewart Jack H. Jacobs Frank Lautenberg Derek Jeter Christie Pearce Dick Vitale Carla Harris
2016 inductees For a list of inductees, see footnote Arts & Letters Enterprise Performing Arts Public Service Sports Unsung Hero Carol Higgins Clark Connie Chung Alfred Koeppe Arthur Imperatore Sr. Kelly Ripa Ray Liotta Tommy James Wyclef Jean Peace Pilgrim Philip Kearny Carol Blazejowski Chuck Wepner Ed Goldstein Sue Goldstein
2017 inductees For a list of inductees, see footnote Arts & Letters Enterprise Performing Arts Public Service Sports Harlan Coben Joe Buckelew Steve Forbes Jon F. Hanson Buddy Valastro The Four Seasons Gloria Gaynor Debbie Harry Steven Van Zandt Millicent Fenwick Mark Kelly Scott Kelly Clara Maass Al Leiter Carli Lloyd
2018 inductees For a list of inductees, see footnote Arts & Letters Enterprise Performing Arts Public Service Sports Peter Benchley Jerry Izenberg George R. R. Martin Timothy White J. Fletcher Creamer Sr. F. M. Kirby II Tim McLoone Mary Roebling Arthur F. Ryan Martha Stewart Jason Alexander Southside Johnny Lyon The Smithereens Elizabeth A. Allen Victor Parsonnet Harry Carson Anne Donovan Laurie Hernandez Bart Oates
2019–2020 inductees For a list of inductees, see footnote These two years had their inductees jointly awarded. Arts & Letters Enterprise Performing Arts Public Service Sports Charles Addams Alfred Joyce Kilmer Stephen Crane Fran Lebowitz Mort Pye Alfred E. Driscoll Fairleigh Dickinson Linda Bowden Steve Kalafer Borg Family Joseph Simunovich Ed Harris Ernie Kovacs Emily "Cissy" Houston Clerow "Flip" Wilson John Amos Nelson Family Danny Aiello Milton Friedman Virginia Apgar Martin Dempsey Jane Frances Brady Richard "Rick" Dennis Barry III Elisha "Eli" Nelson Manning Gerry Cooney Robert Mulcahy III C. Vivian Stringer
2021–2030 inductees 2021 inductees For a list of inductees, see footnote Arts & Letters Enterprise Performing Arts Public Service Sports Dorothea Lange Anne Morrow Lindbergh Madeline McWhinney Dale Madam Louise Scott Paul Volcker Sara Spencer Washington George Benson Sarah Dash Mary Chapin Carpenter Margaret Bancroft Alexander Hamilton David Mixner William Paterson Gustave F. Perna Antonin Scalia Val Ackerman Monte Irvin
2022 inductees For a list of inductees, see footnote Arts & Letters Enterprise Performing Arts Public Service Sports Unsung Heroes Margaret Bourke-White Walter Dean MyersThe Unanue Family Dr. Roy Vagelos Ralph IzzoMax Weinberg Chelsea HandlerGov. Richard J. Hughes Dorothea DixHeather O'Reilly Ron JaworskiNJ Medal of Honor Recipients
2023 inductees For a list of inductees, see footnote Arts & Letters Enterprise Performing Arts Public Service Sports Unsung Heroes Dorothy Porter Wesley George SegalFinn Wentworth Josh S. WestonDavid Chase Tony Orlando Patti ScialfaSteve Adubato Sr. Charles Edison George ShultzTiki Barber Sue WicksAnna Diaz-White Michael Fux
2024 inductees For a list of inductees, see footnote Arts & Letters Education & Science Enterprise Performing Arts Public Service Sports Educator of the Year Unsung Heroes Gay TaleseElizabeth Coleman White John Forbes Nash Avi WigdersonGeorge Cooney Peter Cancro Donald KatzLesley Gore Warren Littlefield Paul Rudd Kevin Smith Meryl StreepFather Edwin D. Leahy Geraldine Livingston ThompsonDick Button Tim Howard Ron Johnson Phil SimmsAndrew DeNicolaBob Guarasci Reva Foster
2025 inductees For a list of inductees, see footnote Arts & Letters Education & Science Enterprise Performing Arts Public Service Sports Educator of the Year Unsung Heroes Dana Bash Mary Alice Williams Shirley Ann Jackson David Burke Frank Bisignano Lawrence Inserra, Jr. Zygi Wilf David Bryan Jonas Brothers Michael Uslan The Isley Brothers David T. Wilentz John P. Keegan Sheila Oliver William E. Simon Hubie Brown Martin Brodeur Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Drury Thorpe Dorothea Bongiovi
2026 inductees Source: Arts & Letters Education & Science Enterprise Performing Arts Public Service Sports Unsung Heroes Big Joe Henry Geraldine R. Dodge Thomas M. Eastwick James E. Burke Robert C. Garrett Christopher J. Paladino The Rascals SZA Donald Milford Payne Sr. Christine Todd Whitman John J. McMullen Lawrence Taylor Tom Weatherall
See also Sports Hall of Fame of New Jersey Grammy Museum Experience List of people from New Jersey
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