School board member Joe Sokolovic is leading the charge to retitle Columbus School named after the Italian explorer whose colonization has come under fire including the nearly 60-year-old statue that was removed from Seaside Park amidst vandalism across the country.
Superintendent of Schools Michael Testani, according to a story by CT Post reporter Linda Conner Lambeck, suggested perhaps naming the school after explorer Vasco da Gama given The Hollow neighborhood’s strong Portuguese population. Then again, according to some historians, da Gama was no boy scout: da Gama looted the ship with over 400 pilgrims on board including 50 women, locked in the passengers, the owner and an ambassador from Egypt and burned them to death. They offered their wealth, which “could ransom all the Christian slaves in the Kingdom of Fez and much more” but were not spared. Da Gama looked on through the porthole and saw the women bringing up their gold and jewels and holding up their babies to beg for mercy.
This could be an intriguing name vetting process. Will a savvy historian be brought on board for character-test guidance?
Again, where does this stuff end? Simply change the name of a school or a city instead of placing history into context?
Change the name of Columbus School, change the name of the capital of the state of Ohio, change the name of the District of Columbia, change the names of dozens of other cities, towns, counties?
Where does it end?
Washington?
Jefferson?
Who’s next?
Sokolovic said the best way to consider a name change would be to follow school board policy by appointing a renaming committee and making the school’s current name one of three options that would be submitted to the school board for consideration.
School board policy calls for appointing a naming committee when a school, a gym or an athletic field is named.
“You may want to put it out to students at the school,” Testani said during Monday’s school board meeting. “Ask them: ‘If you had to rename your school, what would you call it?’ It might be interesting to see what kids have to say.”
Since the school is in a neighborhood with a high Portuguese population, Testani said something like Vasco da Gama, a 15th Century Portuguese explorer, might be appropriate.
Full story here.
Easier just naming the schools “Public School #1,#2,#3 etc…Soon street names will have to be changed also,Washington ave,it’s days are numbered..lol
Agreed. Would love to name schools that way. I’ve said suggested as such before.
I like the name to be F. Francis ‘Hi Ho’ D’Addario School!
Jim,as much as D’Addario did for Bpt,an deserves it,I’m pretty sure he got a speeding ticket in 1972,so no can do..
Vasco Da Gama: The Bringer of Cruelty.” It would take these clowns five minutes to Google a name to find the implications of a name change. Is it asking to much for them to do their due diligence? It can’t be that hard to find someone that wasn’t a slave trader, a rapist or a murderer to name a school after, unless you’re doing it in Bridgeport!
I think Mr. Testani was speaking off the cuff. Of course, I cannot speak for him or the board but I can speak for myself, I will make it my business to research each and every proposed name. I myself am not a historian and my own miseducation failed to teach me this fact, but I did research da Gama as soon as I arrived home and learned this very fact. This takes him out of the running for me and hopefully for the board as well.
How about Washington, oh wait, Barnum! oh, wait,.Muhammad, after the prophet! oh wait, Moses! oh wait. Best of luck Joe.
P.S so much for Democracy, letting the people have a say. My guess domocracy is only useful when it’s suited, like history. BAM! JS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69u8iq48c90
This is the very definition of democracy:
control of an organization or group by the majority of its members.
The majority will hopefully vote on a new name that represents the interest of the majority 87% of our student body and their parents.
What democracy do you mean?
“Control of an organization or group by the majority of its members.”
Sounds like a elites thing. I mean it seems you don’t want the people in the school or its district community to have a say, Right? Some much for the minority group having a say.
However you are right.
“best way to consider a name change would be to follow school board policy by appointing a renaming committee and making the school’s current name one of three options that would be submitted to the school board for consideration.
School board policy calls for appointing a naming committee when a school, a gym or an athletic field is named.” but I think asking for the public is what Democracy needs to be , both, minority and majority. Which is why American is not really democracy of the majority.
But not morally, in your use. Just like when first ran for the BOE as a R then changing party to a D. Lets not forget you were a R before becoming a D. So what does majority or minority, Rebulican or Deomrate really means to you. The same as what the students and parents who has students in the school or the community at large. Whoever is buying what you are selling. JS Comrade
https://diamondvalley.hemetusd.org/apps/video/watch.jsp?v=90607
Thank You for the platform Mr. Grimaldi.
I’ll tell you where this “stuff” ends. For me, this ends when BPS delivers an equitable education to all our students. The path to equity involves multiple pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle; it involves pieces big and small.
The name of a school is often quite irrelevant in the delivery of education and whenever it comes up for a vote, I abstain; I believe it’s usually a waste of the board’s time and energy. Mr. Weintraub is correct and if I had my way, schools would be numbered BPS 1-38; present case is an exception. It is a small but important piece of the puzzle whose time has come to be placed.
Names are symbolic. Having the name Columbus, on a K-8 school that is 64% Hispanic, 23% African American, and 11% Caucasian, is an error whose time has come to correct. To have such a name on a school that is 87% “minority” is just the beginning of a culturally irrelevant Eurocentric education. Our youngest students, upon entering a school to be formally educated for the very first time, pass under the name of a man who after “discovering” the “new” world, kidnapped natives and wrote about how easily the natives could be controlled and bent to European will. Columbus would later go on to be responsible, in his role as governor, for the enslavement, rape, and mutilation of the island natives. He especially decimated the Taino to which many of our Hispanic students could trace back their roots. The changing of the name on this building is a small but integral step in completing the jigsaw puzzle.
The next step involves a look, through an equity lens, at the entirety of Bridgeport Public Schools within itself, the state, and the country through the newly created Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee and the board as a whole. This will involve a look at creating staff diversity (in process), creating a culturally relevant curriculum in every subject area, diversity within programming, addressing inequity in discipline, just to name a few. Equity work has been ongoing with varying degrees of success for years and is currently ongoing.
A look at staff diversity is underway and shows that while 51% of our students are of Hispanic origin, only 11% of our certified staff (excluding administrative) are Hispanic. It is the largest staff to student negative disparity followed by our African American students who make up 32% of our student body yet only 12% our certified staff are African American. Compare this to the 12% of our Caucasian students who are reflected by a whopping 74% of faculty that are also Caucasian. As study after study has proven, children learn best when taught by teachers who look like them. I support all our teachers no matter their race and I applaud any teacher who chooses BPS as their career home. The fact remains that going forward, the imbalance needs to be addressed and rectified.
There is a lot of work to be done and the renaming of the Columbus school is just a small piece of the puzzle whose time has come.
Leave the name of Columbus School as it is. Just what we need, another waste of time and energy and to what end? Do real Bridgeporter’s know how many decades of students attended the first Columbus School when it was on North Washington Avenue? I lived in the Hollow where Jennie’s once was, I remember Charlie Tisdal;e taught there. That was at least 50 years ago. I think my parents and other relatives, now all dead, attended school there. Leave the present Columbus School alone!!!!!! Find something constructive to spend time on,
Respectfully, our children’s right to an equitable future far outweigh people’s right to reminisce of the “good old days”. Also as a former elected official yourself, you are quite aware
that many issues can be tackled at once. Addressing the need Equitable funding, opportunity gaps and curriculum revision amongst other items are still being addressed.
Times are changing and we need to change with them.
Comrade, how does a name on a building achieve the opportunity gap? Since you have been on the BOE, and if it wasn’t for this pandemic the Ports students would still be without computers and tech aiding in that inequality gap.
I witness a out cry of Columbus from those involved in the Port’s education, yet I never heard the out cry for computers for the students. That says a lot as to why the Port students are getting left behind. Not once had I heard you call for supplying the Port students with computers like those subarbian schools do, like I hear you and Columbus However I did hear you say that parents have a say in if the kids accutuly go to school yet not if they want a name change or to what. But keep up the work on a name of a building. JS
Joe S. In my opinion, most important is the quality of education. A name does NOTHING to make that happen! This is a waste of time.
We’ll have to get rid of EVERYTHING in history because no one follows this most historic mans statement:
“let those without sin cast the first stone.”
Ask a kid who goes to Cesar Batalla or Jettie Tisdale the history behind the name? Clueless! Start with teaching civics and the Three R’s. Learn to read and read to learn.
Religion, Relationship, Rithmetic
https://www.facebook.com/KattWilliams/videos/10155589787250973
Rich and Tom, if only we had minds like the two of you making decisions in poor Bridgeport. CHEERS guys.
Rich you say, “We’ll have to get rid of EVERYTHING in history.” You’re correct because history books were written with an explicit bias and a litany of lies that were designed to leave out the accomplishments of Black’s in America.
Tom when students take your advise and read to learn they learn that their school like Columbus is named after a Slave Trader that rape young indigenous girls as young as 13.
Lisa, you say,” Leave the name of Columbus School as it is. Just what we need, another waste of time and energy and to what end? It’s not a waste of time when you learn the history of Columbus and what part he played in slavery in America when he took 1500 indigenous people to Europe and sent them to slavery. If we as a people aren’t willing to correct the injustices that we find in this America then when will we ever live without racism and discrimination? A lot of people still think that’s yalking about slavery in America is a waste of time and energy and Black’s are still being told to get over it today.
I don’t have a problem with the school being renamed after Al Sharpton or the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, but I’m sure that white Bridgeporters would lose their collective minds and yet these two Brother’s have never killed, raped or sent anyone to slavery like Christopher Columbus. 🤔🤔
Don, I say this with the utmost respect. It’s brick and mortar that happens to be a building intended to educate our students—that’s it’s purpose. Call it by any name, but it’s still brick and mortar. Let’s focus on what happens inside.
Donald, I don’t want to be a race bait and switcher. First and foremost, they need to learn to read.
How did that Tawanna Brawley thing ever work out for the white state’s attorrney that Rev. Al wanted burned at the stake?
Hell, I wouldn’t be offended if they named a school after Marcus Garvey if it helped the kids learn about history.
Also, it not just how much you read it’s what you read. Comrade how do you know of designed to leave out the accomplishments of blacks in America or it there were any if you didn’t read it. But you are somewhat correct in a litany of lies that were designed to leave out”
Like did you know the England Christian protestants under the Cromwell, band Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus? The same man who killed, raped, and genocide 60% of the white Irish, killing the men and force to women and children on boats to be slaves in the new world never to return, at the being Atlantic slave trade. I mean “Indenture servants” because almost all blacks well maybe not all blacks but definitely you, comrade view that written history as accurate because can’t have white slave brought to America in you race game. JS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC_CpnwZPYM&feature=emb_logo
I wasn’t going to say anything in your bias, race-baiting game, I’ll bite. It seems your history is an explicit bias with a litany of lies that is designed for your racist views, that cherry-pick the history of slavery.
For starters, Columbus had nothing to do with slavery in America. He never steps foot on this land and died 100 years before England’s slave trade to American with the complicity of other black Africans who kidnapped adults and stole children from other ethnic groups for the purpose of selling them to the Europeans, and the Muslim Arabs.
What is a waste of time is making a false bias, the racial argument about Columbus having anything do with slavery in America. It’s a manipulation of history as a deflection to the neglect that is happening in the Port school system,and once personal agenda.
For the years the students were deprivation of computers at the hands of the elected and actives demand it. It seemed to had been a mote point, I heard no battle cry for computers to aid in students achievement like a hear of Columbus’s false racial narrative of his impact on Slavery in America. Until the pandemic, even then, the cry wasn’t that loud by BBOE like it is for a name change.
Let’s not forget to get Al Sharpton was a suspected drug dealer who was labeled a mob-rat, snitch, that wore a wire for the FBI to incriminate his associates. Not to mention a few blacks and Latinos might lose their collective minds considering some of them force Al to not show up to lead a BLM march.
I will not delve too deep into religious atrocities in the name of God, but Honorable Elijah Muhammad is a Muslim whos holy book section and accept slavey, and was used enslave tens of millions of black Africas in spaned over several centuries, were East Africans were sold as slaves as well as letting grown men have a relationship with girls as young as 9, which in parts of the world is still considered the law today.
BTY, Comrade, ask history why a Jew whose name change from Colombo to Columbus, and let’s not forget your history where you stated blacks will never vote for PR SJ
Comrade, do you feel your past statement o PRs calls for an apology to them?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpTlS2vcWwM
Today we are telling the story of a powerful local business that has done wrong.For 140 years, it has been one of the most influential forces in shaping Kansas City and the region. And yet for much of its early history — through sins of both commission and omission — it disenfranchised, ignored and scorned generations of Black Kansas Citians. It reinforced Jim Crow laws and redlining. Decade after early decade it robbed an entire community of opportunity, dignity, justice and recognition.
That business is The Kansas City Star.
https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article247928045.html
Comrade Ron, no one can honestly say Blacks weren’t mistreated, abused, killed unjustly, and were lowest on the American totem pole. however mistreatment, and abused, and being killed wasn’t exclusive to blacks and white weren’t immune to such treatment.
We are having a conversation about a man’s legacy that was characterized as white supremacy, not only by the elected official on the BBOE who is leading the charge for the removal of his name on a school along with many others calling for his statue to be removed/returned on a gross mischaracterization of him and his history.
To be fair, at least on OIB the narrative of (Peter Falk) Jewish Colombo/Columbus has changed from white supremacy to European colonization. However, you shouldn’t fight racism with racism. This is what’s actually being done with regards to Jewish “Colombo.”
Not only does he have anything to white supremacy or these land and country. It’s pretty much a Latino (brown) thing. (Barring religion) JS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnF1OtP2Svk
Elijah Mohammed would be perfect. He had a minimum of 23 children 15 of which were illegitimate. A great role model to aspire to.
Sharpton is, or at least was, a government informant which is why he has never done time for tax evasion and other crimes that he is known to be associated with back in the day. How do you think he got his millions? Certainly not by helping his own people that he says he represents. MSNBC pays him handsomely but I missed the his last shows- since the beginning.
But you know better so keep that train of thought.
Cheers!!!!!
To be fair to Elijah Mohammed, Mohammed is depicted in the Quran as being white. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGwRzXJBWGA
Rich, Al Sharpton and the Honorable Elijah Muhammad were merely an analogy comparison of those two individuals and Christopher Columbus and like I said those two never raped, killed or sent anyone to slavery. It’s like I said, which you so eloquently expressed exactly what I said, white Bridgeporters would lose their collective minds, but never have a problem with Columbus! I knew you would respond like you did to further illustrate my point. This is like fishing 🎣, thanks.
Don, C’MON MAN, you know that you can’t reply to anything this super cop writes or RT and Stephanie Thompson.
Comrade, are you saying history doesn’t show black Africans didn’t aid in the slave trade by capturing and kidnapping other blacks Africans of different tribes and selling them to the Europeans and Mulsim Arab, or that the Mulsim trade was far more brutal and grotesque than then the Europeans slavey to the Americas
The problem is you are putting the race human grotesquely. The so called “white” Europeans fought, killed, and enslaved each other for centuries, just like every race on the planet has done, even each other, in so-called civil wars among themselves.
Powerful always ruled, dominated, and suppressed the others. Just like what is being done here(IMO) in Comrade Joe’s quest for the removal of Columbus’ name. Where the majority rules over the minority is what he calls Democracy in a false argument of Colubum white supremacy history and slavery in America, that Day and yourself perpetual and unjustly do at the times, and this is one of them.
Columbus was not white, her repressed Spain, which represent Latinos, He had nothing to do with England slave trade, of colonization of the land his so-called landed on, the conquest of land colonization people goes back ancient times and through out histroy were the strong dominated the less in every race and part of this world.
So I ask, tell me what Columbus, that the Italian identify themesleves with, has to do with America history of slavery, colonization, or any part of atrocious history you yourself identify with. Other than just a fight. JS Bam I am out of here like the creepy ginger kid, 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD-_SvbrV6I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAtGaz4UmMU
represented Spain
he so-called landed on.
A racist analogy. To my knowledge, Trump never did those things either. No one is suggesting to name the school after him. However, I do believe he had a couple of women perform a golden shower, by piss on him, Also he gave Putin a happy ending to secure a loan and deployment deal. You know your country’s political system is so fucked up . You have to blackmail a person to become president. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_Gf0mGJfP8
Sure you did!! After I threw out some chum!!!!!
List of people from Bridgeport, Connecticut
Baseball players
These baseball players were born in or lived in the city:[1]
Howard Baker, Major League baseball player[2]
Cornelius “Neal” Ball, credited with the first unassisted triple play in the major leagues[citation needed]
George Bryant, MLB player for Detroit Wolverines[3]
George “Kiddo” Davis, who in the 1933 World Series against the Washington Senators had 7 hits in 19 at-bats, and batted .368, helping the New York Giants win the championship[4]
Rob Dibble, pitcher for Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers[5]
Angel Echevarria, played in National League for Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, and Chicago Cubs[6]
Ray Keating, pitched for the New York Highlanders, New York Yankees, and Boston Braves[7]
Kurt Kepshire, or Kurt David Kepshire, pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals[8]
Charles Nagy, pitcher for Cleveland Indians and San Diego Padres, pitched in the 1995 and 1997 World Series[9]
Tricky Nichols, pitcher for the Boston Red Caps, St. Louis Brown Stockings, Providence Grays, Worcester Ruby Legs and Baltimore Orioles[10]
Jim O’Rourke (James Henry O’Rourke), first player to be credited with a hit and single in a professional baseball game[citation needed]
Ed Rowen, 19th-century baseball player for the Boston Red Caps and Philadelphia Athletics[11]
Harper Williams, basketball player
Dan Shannon, played second base for the Louisville Colonels and the Philadelphia Quakers, and second base and shortstop for the New York Giants and the Washington Senators[12]
Ed Wojna, pitcher for the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Indians[13]
Basketball players
Courtney Alexander, played three seasons in the NBA
John Bagley, played for eleven seasons in the NBA
Walter Luckett, star high school and college player in the 1970s
Wes Matthews, played ten seasons in the NBA
Frank Oleynick, played two years for NBA in Seattle
Charles D. Smith, University of Pittsburgh and New York Knicks
Chris Smith, University of Connecticut and Minnesota Timberwolves
Other athletes
Kevin Belcher, NFL player
Julie Chu, three-time Olympic ice hockey medalist
Jack Delaney, world light heavyweight boxing champion
Nick Giaquinto, played four seasons in the NFL
Mike L. Jones, NFL player for Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks
Alex Joseph, pro football player
Alyssa Naeher, goalkeeper for the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and United States women’s national soccer team (USWNT)
Sidney Wood, tennis player, won at Wimbledon in 1931, reached Davis Cup finals in 1934
Tony Elliott, played six seasons in the NFL
Business people
Kenton Clarke, founder of Computer Consulting Associates International Inc.
Fred DeLuca, founder of Subway
George Gilman, founder of the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company[14]
Edwin H. Land, founder of Polaroid Corporation
James Murren (born 1961), banker
Nathaniel Wheeler, manufacturer of Wheeler & Wilson; state legislator
Entertainers, artists, writers
P.T. Barnum, circus owner, entrepreneur and mayor of Bridgeport
Madeline Blair, prostitute and naval stowaway
Robert O. Bowen, novelist
Al Capp, cartoonist, creator of comic strip Li’l Abner[15]
Adriana Caselotti, voice of Snow White
Perry DeAngelis, co-founder and executive director of NESS, co-founder of The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe
Sally Haley, artist and painter
Maureen Howard, author
Walt Kelly, cartoonist, creator of Pogo
Larry Kramer, playwright and gay rights activist, writer of The Normal Heart
Roy Neuberger, art collector and donor
Charles Schnee, screenwriter and film producer
Jim Shepard, author
General Tom Thumb (Charles Stratton), performer, little person
Actors
Richard Belzer, actor and comedian who once worked as a reporter for The Connecticut Post
Alexandra Breckenridge, actress
Adriana Caselotti, actress
Bob Crane, actor known for his lead role in Hogan’s Heroes; radio host on WICC-AM in Bridgeport, 1950–1955
Brian Dennehy, actor
Arline Judge, actress
John Mitchum, actor
Robert Mitchum, actor[16]
Tony Musante, actor
Kevin Nealon, comedian and actor
John Ratzenberger, actor known for role of Cliff Clavin in TV series Cheers
Bill Smitrovich, actor
Deborah Walley, actress
Michael Jai White, actorBaseball players
These baseball players were born in or lived in the city:[1]
Howard Baker, Major League baseball player[2]
Cornelius “Neal” Ball, credited with the first unassisted triple play in the major leagues[citation needed]
George Bryant, MLB player for Detroit Wolverines[3]
George “Kiddo” Davis, who in the 1933 World Series against the Washington Senators had 7 hits in 19 at-bats, and batted .368, helping the New York Giants win the championship[4]
Rob Dibble, pitcher for Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers[5]
Angel Echevarria, played in National League for Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, and Chicago Cubs[6]
Ray Keating, pitched for the New York Highlanders, New York Yankees, and Boston Braves[7]
Kurt Kepshire, or Kurt David Kepshire, pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals[8]
Charles Nagy, pitcher for Cleveland Indians and San Diego Padres, pitched in the 1995 and 1997 World Series[9]
Tricky Nichols, pitcher for the Boston Red Caps, St. Louis Brown Stockings, Providence Grays, Worcester Ruby Legs and Baltimore Orioles[10]
Jim O’Rourke (James Henry O’Rourke), first player to be credited with a hit and single in a professional baseball game[citation needed]
Ed Rowen, 19th-century baseball player for the Boston Red Caps and Philadelphia Athletics[11]
Harper Williams, basketball player
Dan Shannon, played second base for the Louisville Colonels and the Philadelphia Quakers, and second base and shortstop for the New York Giants and the Washington Senators[12]
Ed Wojna, pitcher for the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Indians[13]
Basketball players
Courtney Alexander, played three seasons in the NBA
John Bagley, played for eleven seasons in the NBA
Walter Luckett, star high school and college player in the 1970s
Wes Matthews, played ten seasons in the NBA
Frank Oleynick, played two years for NBA in Seattle
Charles D. Smith, University of Pittsburgh and New York Knicks
Chris Smith, University of Connecticut and Minnesota Timberwolves
Other athletes
Kevin Belcher, NFL player
Julie Chu, three-time Olympic ice hockey medalist
Jack Delaney, world light heavyweight boxing champion
Nick Giaquinto, played four seasons in the NFL
Mike L. Jones, NFL player for Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks
Alex Joseph, pro football player
Alyssa Naeher, goalkeeper for the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and United States women’s national soccer team (USWNT)
Sidney Wood, tennis player, won at Wimbledon in 1931, reached Davis Cup finals in 1934
Tony Elliott, played six seasons in the NFL
Business people
Kenton Clarke, founder of Computer Consulting Associates International Inc.
Fred DeLuca, founder of Subway
George Gilman, founder of the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company[14]
Edwin H. Land, founder of Polaroid Corporation
James Murren (born 1961), banker
Nathaniel Wheeler, manufacturer of Wheeler & Wilson; state legislator
Entertainers, artists, writers
P.T. Barnum, circus owner, entrepreneur and mayor of Bridgeport
Madeline Blair, prostitute and naval stowaway
Robert O. Bowen, novelist
Al Capp, cartoonist, creator of comic strip Li’l Abner[15]
Adriana Caselotti, voice of Snow White
Perry DeAngelis, co-founder and executive director of NESS, co-founder of The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe
Sally Haley, artist and painter
Maureen Howard, author
Walt Kelly, cartoonist, creator of Pogo
Larry Kramer, playwright and gay rights activist, writer of The Normal Heart
Roy Neuberger, art collector and donor
Charles Schnee, screenwriter and film producer
Jim Shepard, author
General Tom Thumb (Charles Stratton), performer, little person
Actors
Richard Belzer, actor and comedian who once worked as a reporter for The Connecticut Post
Alexandra Breckenridge, actress
Adriana Caselotti, actress
Bob Crane, actor known for his lead role in Hogan’s Heroes; radio host on WICC-AM in Bridgeport, 1950–1955
Brian Dennehy, actor
Arline Judge, actress
John Mitchum, actor
Robert Mitchum, actor[16]
Tony Musante, actor
Kevin Nealon, comedian and actor
John Ratzenberger, actor known for role of Cliff Clavin in TV series Cheers
Bill Smitrovich, actor
Deborah Walley, actress
Michael Jai White, actor
Musicians
Art Baron, jazz trombonist
Mimi Benzell, Metropolitan Opera soprano
Joseph Celli, oboist
Fanny Crosby, composer of more than 8,000 Christian hymns; lived here for the last fifteen years of her life; buried in the Mountain Grove Cemetery
Vernon Dalhart, singer, songwriter
Jessica Delfino, musician, comedian
Jin Hi Kim, geomungo player and composer
Deon Kipping, gospel singer
Paul Leka, singer, songwriter, composer, member of band Steam, known for “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye”
Angus Maclise, experimental musician and poet, founding member of The Velvet Underground
John Mayer, singer-songwriter, born in Bridgeport, largely grew up in neighboring Fairfield
Peter McCann, singer/songwriter, “Do You Wanna Make Love”, “Right Time of the Night”
Syesha Mercado, singer, actress and American Idol contestant
Lou “Boulder” Richards, guitarist (Hatebreed)
Vinnie Vincent, guitarist (KISS)
Robert Wendel, composer, musician
Musical groups
The Alternate Routes (2002–present), rock band
Hatebreed (1994–present), metallic hardcore band
Last Common Ancestor (2018–present), punk grunge band
The Skinny Boys, 1980s rap group
Steam, late 1960s pop band
The Stepkids (2009–present), psych soul band
Youthful Praise (2001–present), gospel choir
Government service
David H. Burr, cartographer[17]
Robert E. De Forest, Mayor, Congressman
Paul Gottfried, former professor of Elizabethtown College
Robert A. Hurley (1895–1968), Connecticut governor (first Roman Catholic to hold that office in Connecticut)[18]
Jasper McLevy (1933–1957), Mayor
Leonard Mastroni (1949-2020), Kansas state representative and judge
Mae Schmidle, Connecticut state representative
William Shaler, U.S. Consul in Mexico, Algiers and Havana
James C. Shannon (1896–1980), Connecticut governor[19]
Christopher Shays, Fourth District Congressman
Samuel Simons (1792–1847), United States Representative from Connecticut
Rich Whitney, Green Party candidate for Governor of Illinois
Inventors
C.F. Ritchel of Bridgeport riding his dirigible, as seen on the July 15, 1878 cover of Harper’s Weekly
Harvey Hubbell, inventor of the electric plug and the pull-chain light socket
Louis Latimer, inventor
Charles F. Ritchel, inventor
Gustave Whitehead, inventor
Medical
Alfred Fones, dentist credited with founding the profession of dental hygiene in 1906
Military
David Hawley, Naval commander and privateer during the American Revolution
Raymond Jacobs, claimed to be in photo of first flag raised on Iwo Jima in World War II
Henry A. Mucci, led the raid that rescued survivors of the Bataan Death March in World War II
Religious
Edward Egan, former Roman Catholic bishop of Bridgeport, later became the cardinal archbishop of New York
Other
Victoria Leigh Soto, born in Bridgeport, former school teacher, victim of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, died at age 27
Musicians
Art Baron, jazz trombonist
Mimi Benzell, Metropolitan Opera soprano
Joseph Celli, oboist
Fanny Crosby, composer of more than 8,000 Christian hymns; lived here for the last fifteen years of her life; buried in the Mountain Grove Cemetery
Vernon Dalhart, singer, songwriter
Jessica Delfino, musician, comedian
Jin Hi Kim, geomungo player and composer
Deon Kipping, gospel singer
Paul Leka, singer, songwriter, composer, member of band Steam, known for “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye”
Angus Maclise, experimental musician and poet, founding member of The Velvet Underground
John Mayer, singer-songwriter, born in Bridgeport, largely grew up in neighboring Fairfield
Peter McCann, singer/songwriter, “Do You Wanna Make Love”, “Right Time of the Night”
Syesha Mercado, singer, actress and American Idol contestant
Lou “Boulder” Richards, guitarist (Hatebreed)
Vinnie Vincent, guitarist (KISS)
Robert Wendel, composer, musician
Musical groups
The Alternate Routes (2002–present), rock band
Hatebreed (1994–present), metallic hardcore band
Last Common Ancestor (2018–present), punk grunge band
The Skinny Boys, 1980s rap group
Steam, late 1960s pop band
The Stepkids (2009–present), psych soul band
Youthful Praise (2001–present), gospel choir
Government service
David H. Burr, cartographer[17]
Robert E. De Forest, Mayor, Congressman
Paul Gottfried, former professor of Elizabethtown College
Robert A. Hurley (1895–1968), Connecticut governor (first Roman Catholic to hold that office in Connecticut)[18]
Jasper McLevy (1933–1957), Mayor
Leonard Mastroni (1949-2020), Kansas state representative and judge
Mae Schmidle, Connecticut state representative
William Shaler, U.S. Consul in Mexico, Algiers and Havana
James C. Shannon (1896–1980), Connecticut governor[19]
Christopher Shays, Fourth District Congressman
Samuel Simons (1792–1847), United States Representative from Connecticut
Rich Whitney, Green Party candidate for Governor of Illinois
Inventors
C.F. Ritchel of Bridgeport riding his dirigible, as seen on the July 15, 1878 cover of Harper’s Weekly
Harvey Hubbell, inventor of the electric plug and the pull-chain light socket
Louis Latimer, inventor
Charles F. Ritchel, inventor
Gustave Whitehead, inventor
Medical
Alfred Fones, dentist credited with founding the profession of dental hygiene in 1906
Military
David Hawley, Naval commander and privateer during the American Revolution
Raymond Jacobs, claimed to be in photo of first flag raised on Iwo Jima in World War II
Henry A. Mucci, led the raid that rescued survivors of the Bataan Death March in World War II
Religious
Edward Egan, former Roman Catholic bishop of Bridgeport, later became the cardinal archbishop of New York
Other
Victoria Leigh Soto, born in Bridgeport, former school teacher, victim of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, died at age 27
Dave Bike, MLB the Detroit Tiigers,
Thanks Ron, Dave Bike (born March 14, 1946) was the former men’s head basketball coach at Sacred Heart University.[1] He led the Pioneers to a Division II national championship in 1986, and oversaw the transition of the program to the Division I level. He retired on May 30, 2013, after a 35-year career.
Jim, you are amazing!
Jimfox, any of those individuals would be a matter of pride for any Bridgeport youth in that school. Any of those individuals would send a powerful message to the children of that school that anything is possible. Christopher Columbus, not so much!
Jimfox, great list, seeing that the subject is about education here is someone who would be a execellent choice. The great Jack Kvancz, who is from the East Side of Bridgeport, a standout in both baseball and basketball from Harding High School. Jack was tough as nails as a ball player but was a real nice guy who was fun to be with.
Jack Kvancz, served as George Washington University Athletic Director for17 years and the Director of Athletics at George Mason University for 12 years, Kvancz was Athletics Director and head men’s basketball coach at Catholic University from 1974 to 1982. All-Time New Haven Register 1964 All-State boys basketball team member.
Ron, Jack was one of my middle school classroom teachers. After class some of us would gather in the gym and watch him light up the net. He was a marvel to watch. He had an engaging way of infusing confidence in young people. “Lennie Grimaldi, little all-American!” I was certainly little, and I was certainly no all-American, but just hearing it from Jack was the berries.
Lennie, you had the advantage you said, “after class some of us would gather in the gym and watch him light up the net,” well, it wasn’t fun when he would do it to you playing against him and he was a marvel to watch.” Lennie, Jack had that type of personality as a 14 year old teenager, he whipped you playing ball but he was still fun to talk with.
I nominate Angel Echevarria – Home Grown – Good Role Model – and aside from Mrs Johnson, schools are usually named for someone who is no longer living