Our History

The NYC Correction Guardians Association is PROUD of our Black Historical figures.

1877

Frederick Douglas

First Black Federal Marshal was FREDERICK DOUGLAS. After serving a short term as Police Commissioner of the District of Columbia.

1948

James A. Thomas

First Black Captain in the N.Y.C. Department of Correction was JAMES A. THOMAS. Captain Thomas went on to become the First Black Warden on a N.Y.C. Correctional Facility and now the old “Pen” has been named in his honor.

1950

Jessie Behagen

First Black Female Captain in the NYC Dept. of Correction

1951

William L. Rowe

First Black Deputy Police Commissioner in the N.Y.C. Police Department was WILLIAM L. ROWE, appointed by N.Y.C. Mayor Vincent Impellitieri, completing his term of service in 1954.

1957

Maurice Gray

First Black Deputy Commissioner, Later became a Judge.

1959

Leonard 12X Weir

Founder and President of the National Society of Afro- American Policemen in the N.Y.C. Police Department.

1959

Arnold Cream

ARNOLD CREAM, aka JERSEY JOE WALCOTT became a Shefiff of his hometown – Camden, New Jersey after his boxing career until he was appointed New Jersey’s State Director of Special Olympics – a program involving sports projects for handicapped children.

1962

Jessie Behagen

First Black Female Superintendent in the N.Y.C. Department of Correction

1965

James A. Thomas

First Black Warden (Provisional) in the N.Y.C. Department of Correction.

1967

Lloyd Sealy

Deputy Inspector, N.Y.P.D., appointed to Assistant Chief inspector in ~he Lindsay Administration. He was an advisor on race relations to the Mayor Mr. Scaly was law educated and was on the faculty of John Jay College of Criminal Justice when he died in 1988.

1969

James A. Thomas and James C. Harrison

Sworn in on April 29th, 1969 as Wardens. They became the First Black Civil Service Wardens.

1972

Benjamin Malcolm

First Black Commissioner of the New York Department of Correction.

1972

National Black Police Association

Formation of the National Black Police Association in St. Louis, Missouri.

1972

Jacqueline McMickens

First Black In-Charge of the Correction Academy.

1978

Gerald Brown

GERALD BROWN was the First Black Chief of Operations of the New York City Department of Correction. GLORIA LEE was the First Black Female Warden assigned to a male facility.

1984

Jacqueline McMickens

First Black Female Correction Commissioner, after having served as the First Female Chief of Operations.

1984

Alexander Jenkins

The First Black Supervising Warden in the Department of Correction, N.Y.C. was ALEXANDER JENKINS a Former President of the Correction Guardians Association.

1984

Benjamin Ward

BENJAMIN WARD was the First Black Police Commissioner of the New York City Police Department.

1989

Robert T. Johnson

The First Black District Attorney in N.Y.C. for the Borough of The Bronx is ROBERT T. JOHNSON.