Social Justice Awardee – Rev. Joseph H. Garlic
Rev. Joseph H. Garlic, known as the “Rev” was born on September 11, 1931 in Woodstown, NJ. After graduating Woodstown high school, he migrated to Newark and attended Bloomfield College followed by Hartford Seminary where he obtained a Bachelor’s in Divinity. While there he worked in several inner-city churches, primarily with young people. In 1964 he became assistant to the president at Franklinton Center, Bricks NC where he not only garnered professional experience but had his first experience with living in the South and the racism perpetuated by the Klu Klux Klan. These experiences would inspire him to be a diligent advocate for racial equality in his future work.
In 1966 he was sent by the Presbyterian to establish the Elizabethport Presbyterian Center to work with troubled youth, local tenant groups, and the NAACP to Elizabeth,NJ. Especially during the riots of the 1960s, Garlic arranged for adult walkers in Elizabethport, to patrol the streets, sometimes all night, and talk with youths they encountered. The strategy of residents’ own presence became a constant in his work with concerned figures like Stephen Sampson, Graville Nesbit, Nida Thomas, Harriet Bloomfield, Paul Brown, and Pauline Shirley. Did roving bands of youth listen to your message? “Sometimes they did,” the Rev. Garlic admitted, “sometimes they didn’t.”
He became the first full-time Director of the Elizabethport Presbyterian Center dedicating years of service. The organization continues to be a beacon in the community providing essential services to families in need. Under Rev’s leadership, the “Pres “spawned a full-time daycare center for working families, an after-school program, a summer youth program, and social service programs for families and seniors. The center also provided financial and academic assistance to students who desired to go to college.
As unemployment and underemployment were a major concern in the ’70s and 80’s, the Pres developed and offered job employment services and preparation for those who were unemployed. In 1985 he and other concerned community members organized Brand New Day, an agency that primarily built affordable housing for low-income families. BND would find dilapidated buildings, rehabilitate them, and offer them at affordable rents. The agency helped thousands of families with rental housing, purchasing, and keeping a home, financial literacy education, and community organizing. Grassroots initiatives, encouraged in 1985 by NJ Governor Christie Whitman, drew the attention of local banks, as well as the owners of the Singer plant, which helped with meeting space and other resources. Early on many businesses contributed both resources and manpower to turn the critical situation around.
BND sought the eventual removal of Pioneer Homes and Migliore Manor and their replacement via the federal Hope VI program, with 600 attractive and affordable apartments and single-family townhouses, a number with views of the Arthur Kill. “I put a lot of years into this effort,” Garlic remarked. Where do citizens like Rev Joseph Garlic come from, one participant was asked. “The Rev. Garlic,” Elizabethport activist Pauline Shirley, responded, “was a gift from God.”
The Rev was known for his frank and forthright approach to tackling issues and problems. He had little time nor patience for lengthy discussions and filibustering as his style is focused on getting results. He coached his employees to not only do their jobs well but to be proud of their work and the difference they can make in the lives of others. In his quiet way, Rev had the unique talent to inspire people to do for themselves. There are countless people whose lives have been impacted by his presence. Whether that be as a mentor, sitting in a meeting where he shared his wisdom, or on the front lines challenging the policy. His message to young people was to seek to be somebody and never give up on yourself and that somebody cares.
Rev’s life partner, Hazel, and his three daughters Valencia, Heidi, and Krishna were the center of his life. His 3 grandsons (Jerome, Jerrell, Khalil) and one granddaughter (Evangelina ) continue his legacy in actions, thoughts and memories instilled in them. Mrs. Garlic served alongside him and many years later she continues to entertains visits and calls from the men and women that refer to her as their community mom. Rev has been a constant in the community and has helped to bring numerous services to the Eport community. He helped establish Meals on Wheels, served on the board of the Coalition to House the Homeless, Coalition for a United Elizabeth, the Elizabeth Day Child Care Council, Homeownership of Elizabeth, 100 Black Men of NJ, and the Eddie Gray Camp Fund. He was an avid player of Bridge, well-read, and a spiritual leader as an ordained Presbyterian Minister of over sixty years. He retired from the Presbyterian Center in 1999 and embraced family time, traveling and enjoying life where he continued to impact family and community friends in conversations and mentoring .
Douglas MacArthur once said “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent. This sentiment could not be more accurate when describing the Rev. Joseph H. Garlic. On October 24, 2020, the City of Elizabeth honored Rev. Garlic with a street in E’port named after him.
