NJ Hall of Fame
JAMES D'HERON
2010 INDUCTEE - UNSUNG HERO
Beloved by his family and friends, James D’Heron served his community as a firefighter with the New Brunswick, New Jersey Fire Department. He was known for saving multiple lives on the job, including a five-year-old child. Through these heroic acts, he earned himself the Bronze Commendation in 1984, the Department Medal of Honor, and the Grand Cordon Citation in 1995. On September 2, 2004, Jimmy gave his life to save all 15 residents in a house fire. He will forever be remembered by his community for his selflessness and bravery.
CARL SAGAN
2009 INDUCTEE - ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
A 1951 graduate of Rahway High School, Carl Sagan was voted “Most Likely to Succeed” and went on to study astronomy at the University of Chicago and taught at Cornell University. He played a leading role in the American space program since its inception, serving as a consultant and adviser to NASA since the 1950s. For his work, Dr. Sagan received NASA’s Exceptional Scientific Achievement Award. He also received the Public Welfare Medal, the highest award of the National Academy of Sciences, along with 22 honorary degrees from American colleges and universities. Sagan won a Pulitzer Prize for his book The Dragons of Eden: Speculations of the Evolution of Human Intelligence, and was the author of many bestsellers, including Cosmos, which became an Emmy and Peabody award-winning television series. An exceptional teacher and scientist, Carl Sagan was no doubt one of the best known scientists of the Twentieth Century.
JOHN TRAVOLTA
2011 INDUCTEE - ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
From “Welcome Back, Kotter” to starring roles in the 1970’s classics “Saturday Night Fever” and “Grease,” Travolta has become a huge star, with two Academy Award nominations and a Golden Globe Award.
SAMUEL NEWHOUSE
2012 INDUCTEE - ENTERPRISE
Historical | Bayonne (1895-1979)
A legendary publisher and media giant, he founded Advance Publications which now owns The Star-Ledger and magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair and The New Yorker.
SARAH VAUGHAN
2012 INDUCTEE - ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Entertainment | Newark (1924-1990)
After winning an Amateur Night performance at the Apollo Theater, she opened for Ella Fitzgerald and later became one of the greatest of all jazz singers, winning a Grammy Award and the National Endowment for the Arts’ Jazz Masters Award.
