Notable New Rochelleans

Notable New Rochelleans

Which Famous New Rochelleans were born in the last few weeks of July? Our local history intern, Michael Weaver, has researched a few for us:

George Lawrence Starke was born on July 18, 1948 in New Rochelle. He is most famous for his career as an offensive lineman in the Washington Redskins, playing with them for twelve years and playing a key role in his team’s victory at Super Bowl XVII. At the time of his retirement, George was listed as one of the greatest players in Redskins history.

Alan Menken was born on July 22, 1949, and was raised in New Rochelle. Alan was always a fan of music, and eventually became a composer for film music. Alan was responsible for the music of The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Enchanted, and those are only his Disney films! Alan was named a Disney Legend in 2001, and was inducted in the New Rochelle Walk of Fame.

Robert Lewis May was born in New Rochelle on July 27, 1905 to a secular Jewish family.  Despite this, he was one of the most influential people in the creation of modern Christmas. At the end of the Great Depression, Robert wrote the poem Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer at request of his boss at Montgomery Ward Department Store. The poem was a wild success, and was adapted to a spoken word poem in 1947, the second highest-selling Christmas song of all time in 1949, and finally a TV special in 1964. Robert died on August 10, 1976, but his legacy lives on in his most famous creation.

Martin Bookspan was born on July 30, 1926, and is an announcer, commentator and author. He worked in various radio studios in his youth, but he became most famous for his commentary on the PBS show Live From Lincoln Center. Martin worked on the show for thirty years, from 1976 to 2006, until retiring and being replaced by Fred Child.

Whitney Moore Young Jr. was born on July 31, 1921 in Shelby County, Kentucky, but would spend his final years living in New Rochelle with his wife and children. Whitney Young was the Executive Director of the National Urban League for ten years, and is historically regarded as one of the six most influential leaders of the Civil Rights movement, a peer with Martin Luther King Junior and Roy Wilkins, among others. Whitney died in 1971 while swimming in Africa, but his legacy lives on. He was inducted into the New Rochelle Walk of Fame in 2011, and his name graces the auditorium of New Rochelle High School.