Helen Marie Marshall ( Sargent ; September 30, 1929 – March 4, 2017) was an American politician from New York City. She was Borough President of Queens from 2002 - 2013. She was also the first African-American Borough President of Queens.
Biography
Marshall was born on September 30, 1929, having been raised in between both Harlem and the Bronx. Both of her parents were immigrants of African descent from British Guiana (now Guyana).
She graduated with a B.A. in education from CUNY Queens College. She was a teacher for eight years. In 1969, she left teaching to become the first Director of the Langston Hughes Library in Queens. She was married to Donald Edward Marshall until his death; they had two children, Donald Jr. and Agnes Marie. She entered politics as a Democrat. She was a member of the New York State Assembly for eight years and a member of the New York City Council for ten.
In 2017, P.S. 330 was renamed the Helen M. Marshall School to honor her legacy.
Death
Marshall died on March 4, 2017, at her home in Palm Desert, California, aged 87. A widow, she was survived by her two children.