Trenton – Senate President Pro Tempore M. Teresa Ruiz issued the following statement on the passing of Calvin West:
“When the history of Newark, Essex County and the state of New Jersey is told, we will hear about a trailblazing man who paved the way for a generation of leaders. Calvin West was a Democratic stalwart, a mentor to so many and a partner to anyone who needed the advice and counsel of an elder. Calvin was a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is person, and above all else, a lover of life. We will celebrate you and miss you.”
In 1966, Calvin West was the first African American elected to a citywide council seat in Newark, New Jersey. He went on to work on campaigns of John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, as well as in the administrations of Jim McGreevey, Richard Codey and Jon Corzine.